Dangan Ronpa: Hope's Finale
by Pariagus
Summary: Temporary
1. Chapter 1

**(AN: This is my first fanfiction ever, actually my first time writing a story too so hopefully it goes well. It's an original story with 16 of my own Ocs. I've also incorporated soundtracks from the original SDR2, so feel free to listen to those as you read through! You can search for those on Youtube, cause I'll only be putting the title of the OSTs. I appreciate criticism too, both good and bad so shoot me with whatever you have!)**

 _Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin [Summer Salt]_

Walking towards the towering building known as Hope's Peak Academy, I grinned to myself. It took so many years of practice before my efforts got recognised by this school, and its something I'm really proud of.

The friends who I've made till now were going to be left behind though, and that's something that I'll be quite sad about. They were people that helped me through my worst and best of times, so I doubt I'll forget them. Hopefully we'll keep in touch.

My name is Hideki Yu, and I'm 16, turning 17 this year. I have a family of four, my parents and my sister, and I must say we lived quite happily with one another. They've supported me since I was young, giving me lessons on how to...

 _Wait a second..._

 _I kind of forgot what they taught me to do._

 _Why was I here in the first place?_

 _What was my talent?_

As I looked up once again to the huge building familiar to me as Hope's Peak, the sun momentarily blinded my eyes, forcing me to close them. And as I opened them again, what greeted me was not where I was a few seconds ago. I looked briefly around me, and came to one conclusion.

 _Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

I was alone.

Have you ever experienced what it's like to wake up with no idea of where you are or what happened before you awoke?

That's how I felt when I opened my eyes only to be greeted by a depressing gray backdrop that I had never seen before. I was sitting in the middle of a room, with nothing but a chair that I was on and the four gray walls that surrounded me. On one of them, was a prison like door.

"A prison cell…?" I gathered.

No way, there was no way I done anything to land me in one.

I then closed my eyes for a while, trying to remember any clue of what happened to me before, to no avail, before I opened my eyes again.

Wait, my thoughts are a blur.

Let me recollect them first to make some sense of what just happened; this morning I woke up extra early , then I showered and ate breakfast. Afterwhich I said goodbye to my family and headed off for Hope's Peak, and as I arrived at the entrance of the school, I forgot my talent and then I got somehow transported into this room.

This makes no sense at all.

Nothing. That was all that came to my mind. Whenever I tried to recall what happened after… I would have the wierdest mindblock. The most recent thing I could think of…

"Wasn't I in front of the Hope's Peak-" I thought outloud, before being interrupted by an earpiercing beep, followed by an announcement.

"Attention all students! Rise and shine! It's time for your opening ceremony, however before you bastards can attend it, you must prove yourselves worthy! Afterwhich, you'll be notified of the location to gather! Seek a way out of the room you're in! Upupupu…"

What the hell was that? Did he just call us bastards? Oh… right. As I was saying, the last thought I had was me being outside the academy, everything else was a blur after that. This must be their test to see whether we were worthy of entering Hope's Peak, so I suppose it's only natural.

I took a quick look around the room once more. The four walls had mundane gray paint on them. The chair I was sitting on was a metallic one, gray as well. Lastly, one of the walls had a door similar to those used in prison cells.

What's with this school and the colour gray…?

I decided to try the door first. To my surprise, it opened without a hitch.

 _Was this a joke?_

I sighed, and then looked at the narrow corridor in front of me, at the same time, many of the other doors opened in unison, creating a squeaking sound which my ears didn't particularly enjoy. Others whom I assume were students managed to draw the same conclusion shortly afterwards, that we were all in similar rooms and had heard the same announcement.

"Is this supposed to be a joke?" One of the students asked.

That was the same thing I thought of just moments ago…

"What just happened?" A girl who looked scared voiced out.

As I was about to add another question to the already growing list, we got interrupted by another announcement.

"Ahem, I see that you all have completed the first challenge! Congratulations! If you may, I would like to cordially invite each and everyone of you Ultimates to proceed to the hall for our entrance ceremony! See you there!"

What kind of a trial was that? Any normal human being would know to open the door, no? Anyway, with so many other students, I felt more at ease.

 _Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin [Summer Salt]_

As we made our way there with more instructions from the one making announcements, I could tell that many of us were uneasy about what had just happened.

We passed by many questionable rooms and areas, noticing there was no one else around before we finally arrived at the hall.

This school is huge… not to mention the hall looked like something out of a movie show. It was ridiculous just how big it was for a simple gathering area.

On the way here, some were keeping to themselves, while others seemed to recognise former friends, already forming cliques. As for me, I had no idea who all these people were, and had no one to talk to. I assumed the ones who chose not to make chatter were also skeptical of this whole setup so far.

I looked around once more, but only managed to find one familiar face. Of course, starring in many shows and having been voted the best soccer player is…

 **SATOYA IWAO**

 _ULTIMATE SOCCER STAR  
Appearance: Sporting black hair with short braids. On him were a bright red jersey, blue shorts, long black socks and soccer cleats. In the middle of his jersey is a number 2._

"Hey, do I know you from somewhere?" He looked over at me, probably because he noticed me staring.

"Ehhh, no you wouldn't. I'm Hideki Yu though, nice to meet you." I said in return.

"Right back at you, I'm Satoya Iwao, you can call me Satoya if you like, like many of my fans. I really don't mind it all that much!"

His energetic behaviour was getting a little too much for me to handle. I gave him a meek smile and approached another guy to move away from Iwao.

"So… is he too noisy for you?" He asked.

"Yea. How did you guess?" I said, in a sarcastic tone.

"Well, name's Ogyu Aki. I'm the Ultimate Psychiatrist after all. Guess we're going to be together for a while eh?"

 **OGYU AKI**  
 _ULTIMATE PSYCHIATRIST  
Appearance: Bespectacled and his hair neatly combed to one side, he reminds me of a bookworm. Looks like he didn't get my sense of sarcasm._

"Hey Aki, finally got yourself a friend?"

"That's a bit rude of you. Now what did I say about treating others nicely?" Aki rebutted.

"This is Ekiguchi Settan, an acquintance of mine."

"Hey, I resent that!" Settan raised his voice, and pouted.

 **EKIGUCHI SETTAN**  
 _ULTIMATE MARKSMAN  
Appearance: Green clothes. Probably for good camouflage. Also has a pistol in his left side pocket. Wait a minute, a pistol?!_

 _Why does he have a pistol in his pocket, isn't that illegal?!_

"Uh can I ask a question?"

"Yeah, go ahead! Is it about my war experience? If it is then sorry to disappoint you, but I have never killed anyone before! Just so you know, I'm an honourable man who would never let anything die, friend or foe."

After he finished he looked at me triumphantly, as if expecting me to say something.

"Actually, I meant to ask about the pistol in your side pocket though I might have an idea of why you have one already…"

He frowned and blinked at me.

"Oh, that. I'm the Ultimate Marksman after all, the government allowed me to have a pistol in my possession. This isn't illegal or anything, don't worry man," he finished with a chuckle. "So, what's your talent?"

As he finished his sentence I suddenly remembered about my memory loss.

 _That's right… All these people here who enrolled had special talents which allowed them to be selected for Hope's Peak Academy and I was one of them. What on earth was my talent?_

"To be honest with you, I kind of forgot."

"Eh?! You forgot your talent?" Aki said, surprised.

"That's right! This man over here forgot what his talent was! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Hideki Yu!"

 _Soundtrack: Re_Despair Syndrome_

At this moment, everyone turned to look at me briefly, before the stage to see who just said that. To my horror, or surprise, it was a stuffed bear, half black, half white with creepy red eyes holding the microphone.

"Hey you bastards, do you know no respect? Greet your headmaster when you see him you bonobos!" He shouted into the mic, creating an ear piercing sound. "You can call me Monokuma, because why not!"

"Wait, WHAT?!"

"A talking stuffed animal?"

"Aww, isn't it cute!"

"Our headmaster?"

Many voices started talking at the same time, however, those voices were like white noise to me while I approached the podium, only curious about my memory loss.

"How did you know about my memory loss? What's my talent? Where are we? Where's the rest of the school? How did we-"

"Hold on a second! So many questions yet you didn't ask politely!"

"Please?" I pleaded, deciding that my pride was less important than what I wanted to know.

"No! AHAHAHAHHAHA! The look on your face was priceless Yu! Why not you try to recall for yourself, though I doubt you can remember. Try asking the others for help! I have something to do so I'll be back in 30 minutes, try your best till then!"

Before I could continue probing for answers, below his feet opened a small traphole, and he fell through it. The hole closed up shortly after.

 _Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin [Summer Salt]_

After staring at the place where Monokuma was for a few seconds, I realised I was getting nowhere. It was apparent that he knew about how my memory loss came about but wasn't going to tell me anything. I decided to ask the rest of the people whether they knew anything about it.

"Ehhhh?! I think you came to the wrong person, I'm not all that good with this memory stuff," she said. "I can help you with languages though, I'm realllllllllllly good at that."

 **OUSHIMA MAKO**  
 _ULTIMATE POLYGLOT  
Appearance: Faired skinned and blonde hair, she doesn't look like a local, though her tact for Japanese seems to suggest otherwise._

"It's fine, thanks anyway," I said.

Just then, a girl wearing a nurse outfit approached me, as if she had something to say.

"Uh… so do you happen to know anything about my memory loss?" I asked.

"Yes! I do. Memory loss can be caused by alcohol, tobacco, drug use, sleep deprivation, stress-"

Before she continued she realised that wasn't the answer I was looking for. I didn't mean to make that face but I was just dumbfounded about my problem. I guess she noticed that I wasn't paying all that much attention.

"Uhm.. that wasn't the answer you were looking for?…" she asked timidly all of a sudden.

"It's okay. Anyway, my name is Hideki Yu, nice to meet you," I said, as I held out my hand to her.

"Eep! I mean, my name is Fushieda Minako. I'm the Ultimate Nurse and you can come to me if you have any problems," she ended, smiling rather awkwardly while shaking my hand.

 **FUSHIEDA MINAKO**  
 _ULTIMATE NURSE  
Appearance: She looks like one of those nurses you see from a movie, except that she's wearing a gold choker which appears to be closed._

"Thanks for the offer, hopefully no one needs your help anytime soon," I said.

"Huhhhh?! Does that mean I'm a good for nothing now?! I don't want to be useless, I want to be of help to everyone and-"

"Nooo, that's not what I meant. No one should get injured here, you know," I said with a smile. "I should go ask the others about my condition now."

Getting the hint, she waved goodbye to me (even though we were still technically in the same room), as I decided who to approach next. There was a small group of people gathering around something, or someone and apparently it turned out to be the latter as I went closer.

"And so… it's Ace of Spades, no?"

"I guess they don't call you the Ultimate Magician for nothing huh?"

Just as I raised my hand to get his attention, he asked: "Who's next?"; the other people turned to look at me and they all assumed that I wanted to be a part of his next magic trick.

"Nonono, its not like that, I just wanted to ask if any of you here knew anything about my condition?"

"Hm, I don't really know, after all most of us if not everyone other than you still knows their talent, the only thing we aren't sure of is how we got into those prison like rooms at the start," one of them said. "Name's Shimamura Keisuke."

"And I'm Takara Hana, I'm the Ultimate Choir Lead, so you can approach me for singing lessons if you want anytime!"

"Dazai Kyoshi is what they call me, but I would prefer if you call me Daddy. After all, I'm the Ultimate Bodybuilder!" His smile was extremely warm, and I was surprised by his personality. I guess I shouldn't judge books by their covers. I mean, given his stature, his gentle demeanor wasn't something you would expect.

 **SHIMAMURA KEISUKE**  
 _ULTIMATE PARKOURIST  
Appearance: He has dark blue hair in a neatly kept fringe. A pair of headphones were on his neck, and what was most eye catching was his rainbow coloured wristband. Is this what I think it means?_

 **TAKARA HANA**  
 _ULTIMATE CHOIR LEAD  
Appearance: With rather long brown hair tied up in a ponytail, her innocent outlook seems to be complementary to the light brownish dress she's wearing. _

**DAZAI KYOSHI**  
 _ULTIMATE BODY BUILDER  
Appearance: With an extremely tight fit shirt for his size and skinny fit pants to boot, he looks ready to explode. Has rather short brown hair with a sloped hairstyle._

Did Keisuke swing that way?

No way.

I decided to put that question at the back of my head and ask him personally later, though I guess some others might have had the same idea as me as well… the rainbow coloured wristband was awfully suspicious though.

"So no one here knows anything about it either… thanks anyway," I ended, trying not to sound depressed. After all, I was the only one who wasn't sure of why I was here, and having no talent made me feel out of place. "I'm Hideku Yu, though you all probably already heard from earlier."

"Yea, we did," Keisuke said. "Say, Yu would you wanna help me train sometime? I would like a buddy to help me out with my jumps and perfecting rolls you know?"

He looked at me with puppy eyes, how could I say no?

"Ehh I guess not…? Only if I'm free that is!" I quickly ended.

"You do know you aren't obliged to help him right? He's been going around saying that to everyone he introduced himself to, so don't take it to heart Yu!" Hana said.

"Hey, don't go around ruining my reputation like that, you're extremely mean for a nice looking girl."

"You know I was just stating the facts right? And the fact that you tried to hit on me didn't help either," Hana ended, while sticking out her tongue at him.

"You two ought to just get together already," Kyoshi chipped in. It was at this moment I realised he was carrying free weights on both of his hands, which looked larger than the largest 20kg I've usually seen around in gyms. "Got to maintain my muscle mass, you know? No time for fooling around kiddo!"

I couldn't control my laughter as we were talking, how long ago was it since I laughed so hard? It was at this moment that I realised that the magician wasn't with us anymore. I noticed that he had retreated to a corner of the room and was playing with his cards. His head was held low and he looked rather downcast. Keisuke noticed it shortly after I did.

"Yu, I think you should confront him, he must be feeling rather sad about how you stole his audience," Keisuke said, with a serious expression all of a sudden. "I think he might be one of those types who keeps to themselves, you know? So its better if we don't leave him alone."

I nodded and approached the magician. I stood in front of him for a while, before he realised I was there.

"First you took away my audience, now you come to disturb my practice, what are you, an idiot?"

Surprised by the sudden outburst, I immediatedly apologised.

"I didn't realise you felt like that… I'm sorry," I said, extending my hand towards him, trying to make things better. "My name's Hideki Yu, hopefully we can get off on a better start now?"

"Hopefully you'll learn to be more considerate of others' feelings," he replied, as he shook my hand. "Azai Kin is my stage name, so you can call me just that."

 **AZAI KIN**  
 _ULTIMATE MAGICIAN  
Appearance: Donning a classic fedora, white hair with grey streaks extends barely past his eyebrows on the left side of his face. A fresh white shirt with a black coat and long black pants, he seems very professional. His attitude however, didn't strike me as very nice._

"If you want to ask me about your memory loss, I'm afraid I can't help you. Now could you leave me to practice?" He asked nonchantly.

"Right, I'll be off then."

He nodded as I walked off, reverting his attention back to the stack of cards in his hand. I felt guilty for making him feel lonely without even realising it. Guess I should be more aware of what's happening around me huh…

"Uh oh, looks like you made the magician angry! Whatcha gonna do now pal?!"

Those were the words of a rather small girl who probably saw what happened and overheard our conversation.

"I didn't mean to, like I didn't realise I was!" I said in return, honestly trying to reason with her.

"Hrmmmmph." She stomped her feet on the ground for a little while before someone else put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't be so rude, he's going to be our classmate!" The one who calmed her down said. "I'm sorry, but she gets grumpy when she can't watch her anime or read her manga. It's kind of an addiction to her and I guess you can call this her withdrawal symptom?" She forced a smile, trying to get me to forgive the small girl.

Anime and manga… Oh. So she's one of those people who devote most of their life to that form of entertainment. Not that I judged her for it, I've personally watched some myself which were amazingly good, so I could probably understand why she likes it so much.

"It's fine, making Azai mad was actually my fault so I don't blame her for thinking like that," I said, as I turned to the little girl. "Can I know your name?"

"I'm the Ultimate Otaku, Koike Yui. Say anything about my anime or manga and you won't live to see another day." She stared into my eyes, which made me feel like my life was in danger.

 **KOIKE YUI**  
 _ULTIMATE OTAKU  
Appearance: Her anime backpack looks a little big on her, given her petite size. Looks like a child but her light purple dyed hair and reddish black dress proves she's not._

"After what you just said I doubt I'll try." I said, chuckling a bit. She looked away and pouted, still holding onto the other girl's hand. "And you are?"

"Oh me? I'm Inaba Tamaki, just a babysitter. What a talent, eh? I don't really care all that much but children naturally approach me."

 **INABA TAMAKI**  
 _ULTIMATE BABYSITTER  
Appearance: Her short black hair, light blue shirt and dark coloured jeans just scream out one word: Plain. _

"It's a much better talent than being talentless though," she added. "Oops, that wasn't meant for you!"

"Ouch. That clearly was meant for me. I feel real hurt right now," I said, while pretending to clutch at my chest area in pain. "Someone, please help me!"

I regretted what I just said shortly after, as Minako rushed over to me.

"Oh my gosh what happened Yu, is it a heart attack, did someone hit you, is your breathing steady, wait let me check your pulse, I think you need CPR!"

She spoke so fast and flustered that I had trouble registering what was going on, and took a bit of time before I could tell her about it just being a joke.

"Haha relax Minako, that was just a figure of speech! But thanks, I really appreciate it," I smiled, trying to make her feel less awkward. "If anything really does happen though, I'll ask for your help okay?"

Blushing and nodding, she skipped back to the table she was at with Aki, continuing to talk about what I could only presume as medical related topics.

"What a goody two shoes," Tamaki puffed. "I hate people who act like that. They try so hard to be in people's good books but really, they just want acceptance and attention."

"I get what you mean, but I don't think Minako's like that. She's a genuinely nice person."

"I guess only time will tell. We have 2 years together after all. C'mon Yui, let's go see more magic tricks." She pulled Yui away from me and made her way over to the magician. I made a mental note not to offend Tamaki, and then went over to the table next to where Minako and Aki were sitting, where a girl was sleeping peacefully.

She looks so graceful… as I moved my finger closer to her forehead to flick it, her hand suddenly rose up and got me in a thumb lock.

"OWWW! What was that for?" I semi screamed.

"You very well know what that was for you pervert… *yawn* now if you'll excuse me I have some sleeping to catch up on…"

She closed her eyes and her facial expression changed back to the graceful one a few seconds ago, only to be woken up by me shaking my hand again.

"Sorry, but could you let go of my hand? I only meant to wake you up with a flick... Unless you want to continue touching me that is."

As soon as I said that her eyes widened and slapped my hand away, whimpering the word 'pervert' before going back to sleep again.

"Can I at least have your name?" I asked, bothering her once more.

"If I tell you, would you stop disturbing me?"

I nodded my head and watched her intently.

"Sigh. Seyama Kunie. I really have to sleep now so please go away."

 **SEYAMA KUNIE**  
 _ULTIMATE SLEEPER  
Appearance: With her onesie dark blue pyjama outfit decorated with bunnies, she looks ready to go to bed. Her blonde hair however, was clipped neatly to one side. _

Fulfilling my part of the agreement, I left her alone to her dreams and tried to make small talk with a guy standing alone. I think he might be shy, or lonely?

"Sup, I'm Hideki Yu, you?"

"Kitamura. Kitamura Shoko. Say, have you ever wondered about how to deal with people you hate?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"Uhh… try to ignore them?" I guessed.

"… That wasn't the answer I was looking for. I'm the Ultimate Geologist, if you want me to believe something, you better prove it first."

 **KITAMURA SHOKO**  
 _ULTIMATE GEOLOGIST  
Appearance: Grey shirt, brown vest and red pants, but most eye catching is his stark red hair. _

"Hahaha," I laughed awkwardly, wondering why I tried to talk to him. "I have to ask the others about something now." I ended, trusting that he wouldn't know about my talent as well.

I pointed over randomly to 2 girls standing by each other and triggered a handwave from him, as if he got my intentions.

I pretended to jog over to where 2 girls were standing together; one was scanning the room as if analyzing people, and the other appeared to be thinking about something, with one hand on her chin. 

"Hi, would you have any idea of how I forgot about my talent?" I asked, already expecting a no.

"I believe it would be proper to introduce yourself before we move on to such questions. It's not right to rush things, you know," The bespectacled girl said. "Here, I'll start, I'm Takekawa Yukiko, Ultimate Secretary. Just follow my phrasing okay?"

 **TAKEKAWA YUKIKO**  
 _ULTIMATE SECRETARY  
Appearance: White buttoned shirt and long beige pants. She also has dark brown hair let down neatly. Her glasses made her look extra smart.  
_  
"Uhhh okay, I'm Hideki Yu, Ultimate… I forgot?" I tried.

"Sigh, forget it. I have no answer to your question anyway, though if there's anything else you might need help with I might be of use." She said, as she continued scanning the room as if looking for someone, but the more important thing was how I felt like she was looking through me. Like I was invisible…

I turned to the other girl, who appeared deep in thought.

"Hello?" I waved my hand in front of her face, before she looked up to face me. Her eyes lit up the moment mine met with hers, but she didn't say anything about it. I could see she tried to hide her reaction as she reverted to her poker face.

"Hello, how may I help you?" She asked.

"Well its about my memory loss, I was wondering whether you knew anything about it."

"Nope. Not at all," she replied a little quickly. "By the way, you are…?"

"Hideki Yu, didn't you hear from Monokuma earlier?" I asked, giving her a strange look. She nodded, as if confirming something.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I was thinking about everything since we arrived here, so I wasn't really paying attention to my surroundings. I'm Takasu Kaneko, Ultimate Sleuth."

 **TAKASU KANEKO**  
 _ULTIMATE SLEUTH  
Appearance: Her eyes drew me in; they were a deep shade of purple, which was pretty entrancing. So much so that I didn't notice much else about her other than her face and neatly braided hair._

"Woah, are you one of those special agents from the Japanese FBI?" I curiously prodded.

"No. I'm more of a spy, or I'd like to think so," she sighed, apparently bothered by my words. "I would prefer it if you don't refer to me as a detective."

"Sure, whatever floats your boat," I grinned. "It's been 30 minutes, shouldn't Monokuma be showing up soon?"

As soon as I asked that question she pointed to the podium, where Monokuma was sleeping (or pretending to), right by the microphone. I walked at a quick pace and hit the bear on its head.

"OUCH! Who did that to me? I'll have you executed!" It screamed. "Oh, its just you Yu, I thought I was being attacked by a hunter for my delicious fur!"

"Why would you think- Ugh, never mind that. I asked everyone about my talent but none of them had any idea about why I forgot it?"

"Oh that, that isn't important for now! What's more important is how we're going to play this game!"

"Can you please answer my question, I'm not supposed to be here without a talent!" I said, getting annoyed with his diversions from my questions. "More importantly, where is the rest of the school? Aren't there supposed to be teachers, janitors, even other students?"

"I'm not going to answer such mundane questions which have no relation to my game, Yu! After all, we don't need a talent nor teachers to play this game! It's a survival game after all! UPUPUPUPUPU! AHAHAHAHAHAHHA!" He finished, laughing hysterically. 

_Soundtrack: Re_Distrust_

"What do you mean?" Kaneko suddenly voiced out.

"Simple, you are all going to kill one another! It's a game of life and death, win or lose, kill or be killed! Isn't it wonderful?"

It took a moment for me to process whatever it just said. No way, was this supposed to be a joke?

"Hahaha that was a great one Monokuma! Now where's the secret camera, I'm pretty sure we all know this is a prank by now, right?" Keisuke said.

"Huh? Secret prank show? No, there's none of those! Though there are cameras spying on you 24/7, but those don't matter. Oops, I said way too much this early in the game!" Monokuma said.

"In this killing school life, you will have to kill to graduate! Once you do, a class trial would be held, and if you managed to not get voted… the blackened will be able to leave this school and survive, while the rest get executed! But if the blackened is found to be guilty, then only he will be executed and the rest will survive! Doesn't that sound great?"

"Wait, can't we just leave where we came from?" Yukiko said.

"Yea, I had enough of this psycho wasting our time!" Settan added.

Settan made a brisk walk for the door, where we all followed him back to the entrance of Hope's Peak, except that instead of a door, all we found was…

A wall.

"Now do yall believe me? I've blocked up every entrance and exit there is to the school, so there's no way any of you are getting out! And until you kill one another, no one can ever leave this place!" Monokuma laughed, which echoed throughout the big hallways of the school. It seemed he was using the speaker systems to talk to us. "Well if you don't believe me, go ahead and explore, we have all the time in the world!"

We decided to ignore him and continued searching for an exit. We split up into groups and planned to meet up back at the hall once we were done exploring or had found an out. As we explored more and more of the school, we realised that what he said was true. It was slowly starting to sink in that we got kidnapped by a psychopath, and that we were in a replica of Hope's Peak.

After all, wouldn't people be coming to save us by now if this were the real school?

Making my way back to the hall with Minako and Keisuke, I could tell that both of them were quite exhausted from everything that happened today.

"Say… did you believe whatever the bear said?" I asked, trying to comfort them both.

"I didn't, but I think I might, if we don't find an exit soon." Keisuke said.

Minako just whimpered and held onto my hand. Of course she would be scared, we got kidnapped by an insane person who would go to great lengths just to make a replica of the school.

We finally arrived back at the hall, where Monokuma was apparently waiting for us as well. And what he said next was the truth we tried to delay so much.

"So, shall we begin? With your high school killing lives!"

Alive (16)  
Hideki Yu, Ultimate ?  
Fushieda Minako, Ultimate Nurse  
Shimamura Keisuke, Ultimate Parkourist  
Azai Kin, Ultimate Magician  
Ekiguchi Settan, Ultimate Marksman  
Dazai Kyoshi, Ultimate Body Builder  
Takara Hana, Ultimate Choir Lead  
Seyama Kunie, Ultimate Sleeper  
Satoya Iwao, Ultimate Soccer Star  
Oushima Mako, Ultimate Polyglot  
Kitamura Shoko, Ultimate Geologist  
Ogyu Aki, Ultimate Psychiatrist  
Takekawa Yukiko, Ultimate Secretary  
Takasu Kaneko, Ultimate Sleuth  
Inaba Tamaki, Ultimate Babysitter

Koike Yui, Ultimate Otaku

Dead (0)

 **(AN: I'd like to believe that it'd be hard for people like myself to remember the names of people and whatever talents they have, especially since there aren't any pictures, so I added their talents here! They'll be at the end of every chapter so I hope you do take the time to read them if you have trouble remembering like myself.**

 **Anyways, how was that for a first chapter? I think I'm already starting to favour certain characters over others though I'll try to provide equal screen times in later chapters.**

 **Please do let me know your thoughts by reviewing so that I'll be able to adjust my writing style accordingly! Thanks.)**


	2. Chapter 2

(AN: The prologue's kinda stiff and hard to write, since I have to go through all the explanation and stuff which otherwise wouldn't make sense for the characters if left out. Hopefully I didn't make it too dry! I might also refer to Monokuma as 'he' from now on, as it sounds slightly better than 'it', though I might still use 'it' sometimes. Take no notice of it!)

"That's right, your new school lives of despair will commence from today onwards!" Monokuma shrieked. "So get used to it you bastards! Blood, gore, despair, a three in one travel package for our very special Ultimates! Upupupupu!"

"Monokuma," Shoko called out. "Let me summarise what you've been saying so far; we're trapped in this replica of Hope's Peak, and we have to kill one another to escape?"

"That's right Shoko! At least I have one student who isn't all that dumb... You get a sticker for that, I guess." Monokuma jumped over to Shoko and pasted a small sticker of himself on his shirt. "Would that motivate more of you to pay attention when I'm talking? I still have many more of these you know?"

Shoko took off the sticker and crumpled it, before throwing it to the ground. He then continued, "What if we don't kill one another? Would you just let us starve and thirst to death here? Is that what's going to happen?"

As Shoko did just that, we noticed Monokuma stop moving for a while. When he started moving again, we could tell that he was infuriated with Shoko's actions.

"My precious copyrighted sticker... How dare you..." He whimpered. "There's only one thing I have for people like you. It's PUNISHMENT TIME!"

Once Monokuma ended, a weapon resembling an assault rifle popped out from the ceiling and took aim at Shoko. It all happened so quickly. Before I could push Shoko out of harm's way, Keisuke dashed over to him.

However, it was far too late.

"KEISUKE, NO!" I shouted, along with a few others as we watch the rifle fire off a barrage of bullets towards their direction.

Time stopped for a while, to me, as I couldn't believe what I just witnessed. Instead of real bullets, they were sticky, rubbery ones which stuck themselves onto both Keisuke's and Shoko's bodies. The most important feature of the bullets was that they had the same Monokuma faces imprinted onto them.

Monokuma just demonstrated how much power he had over us with just this little performance. It was then that the gravity of the situation started to dawn not only on me, but all of us. We were all at a loss for words, as we stared at the unharmed boys trying to get the bullets off themselves. Monokuma however, was more than satisfied with what he did.

"So, were you amazed? I'm serious about your new lives of despair, but you guys just wouldn't believe me, so I had to shake some sense into you! Especially for you, right? ?" He snickered.

"... I get it now. What do you want from us anyway? If it's money you're after we can compile our funds together to probably form a decent amount." Shoko said, apparently still shaken by the incident.

"Nonononono... Shoko, I thought you were my role model!" Monokuma said, pretending to look depressed. "Haven't I been saying it already, I just want to watch some real life murder mystery action! Movies nowadays are waaaaaaay too boring for a bear like me. Especially since Winnie the Pooh stopped airing, I've had nothing to watch!"

This... psycho really wants us to kill one another? Impossible. I would never do such a thing. I glanced briefly at the other 15 in the room with me before shaking my head.

No way, no one could kill another just because this weird doll bear robot showed up and told us to. After all, we were classmates... weren't we?

"I only played along because I thought you were our headmaster. Now that I know you're only a kidnapper, I have no qualms about fighting you!" Kyoshi said, before charging at the podium for Monokuma.

"Please stop."

All of a sudden everyone turned to look at where the voice came from, including Kyoshi, and it was none other than Seyama Kunie. Holding up her right hand while her left hand covered her mouth, I assumed she wanted us to wait till she finished yawning.

"Haven't you seen what he just did to Shoko and Keisuke? Really, with your body structure, your brain sure pales in comparison," she said boredly. "If you want him to really kill you, go ahead."

Kyoshi merely stood frozen in place for a while, probably thinking about what she said, before backing off from Monokuma in a hurry.

"Upupupu..."

"Monokuma, is that true? Wouldn't a kidnapper want to keep his victims alive?" I probed.

"Of course I would! But only for you all to kill one another. I would prefer not to do the killing myself, unless you broke the school rules of course, which is what Kyoshi almost did! Luckily for him, he had a saviour, or you would be a group of 15 now instead! AHAHAHHAHAHA!" Monokuma said, instilling fear into all of us.

"And what would those school rules be? We haven't even heard any of them yet." Mako questioned.

"It isn't fair for us, especially since Kyoshi almost died because of that!" Tamaki added nervously.

"Hm, since you're all so curious and I'm so generous, I'll tell ya!" Monokuma said. "But I'll do more than that, I'll provide you bastards each an electronic handbook, which will not only serve as your I.D from now on, but also your rulebook. In short, ElectroID! Isn't that catchy?"

"I'll be back in a while, so hold your horses."

By now, I could tell most of us were dead tired from the whole of today, and Monokuma wasn't making it any better. In fact, every minute things were looking more and more grim to us, as we slowly submitted to our fate; that we were going to be stuck here for a while.

Iwao looked at me as Monokuma went off to get the electronic handbooks for us. His eyes looked worried and his shoulders were slightly slumped.

"Say… my fans won't be too happy about this, you know?" Iwao whispered. "Once we get out of here I'll get my lawyer to press charges against this psychopath."

"Definitely." I nodded my head, feeling somewhat happy that I could still find someone to talk to in this situation.

"Sorry to spoil the mood, but if this person can kidnap all 16 of us newly enrolled Ultimates AND make a replica of Hope's Peak, then I doubt that we would be found that easily." Yukiko said, apparently overhearing our conversation.

Though that was what I thought as well, I decided not to make anyone else gloomy. There was no point in that.

"Maybe, but there's still some hope left for us, no? Look on the bright side, its only been one day since we got kidnapped!" Aki said rather cheerfully. Only a psychiatrist can think so optimistically in times of despair…

I felt something giving way below my feet, to which I instinctively jumped back. Monokuma appeared from a different traphole this time, underneath us, carrying a haversack of ElectroIDs in his hand. Or paw. Whatever.

"HEY! No secrets in this room, everything you want to say goes through me, and me alone! You all better not be planning something strange…" Monokuma said, before distributing the handbooks.

After we all got our individual ones, we opened it to check what it had in store for us. Inside the program was my name, a picture of my face and it had a few tabs. It seemed each ElectroID was personalised.

Map, rules, messages. Wait, messages? It was then that I noticed my phone wasn't with me.

How didn't I notice this sooner… Of course he took away our phones. Though my sister was going to kill me for losing her birthday present, I had more urgent problems to deal with.

"I assume the messages tab isn't working?" Kaneko asked.

I pressed it a few times but nothing happened. Kaneko was right.

"UH, that! I had to fix some bugs concerning it so hold on until you can use it. I need to modify them to prevent everyone from sending messages outside too…"

Everyone's hopes were crushed simultaneously as we all thought of the same thing just moments ago. It was a blind hope anyways, one which wouldn't have came true. A mastermind who would go to this extent to kidnap us wouldn't leave any room for fault.

"So when you do eventually fix it, what good does it even do if we can't contact anyone outside?" Kaneko continued.

"You'll get to message one another! Isn't that great?"

"I feel like he's wasting resources on the wrong things…" Mako said, shaking her head.

Why would we even need to send messages to one another here?

He really intrigues me sometimes.

I pressed on 'Map'.

Woah, this school is huge. I flicked the screen around, looking at the different rooms this school had. Each room was labelled clearly with icons of what they were for. Wait a minute…

1F, 2F, 3F, 4F? It seemed like this school was bigger than had thought. Naturally, I assumed we were at 1F. I pressed 2F, 3F, 4F, to no avail, deciding that it was because Monokuma had not made the other floors available yet.

"What does the red cross on the staircase icon mean?" Yui asked.

"I think it means there's going to be treasure there!" Hana said. "Come on Yui, let's find it before the others do!"

Apparently my logic and hers don't really add up. Wait, am I doubting myself here?

"Nonononono! You imbeciles! It's obviously there because you can't access that part of the school yet! Monokuma said. "You can try going there and seeing for yourselves."

"Eek! I don't want to go there by myself!" Minako cried. "I don't want to play anymore…"

"Minako… it's okay, we're all in the same boat so there's no need to feel all that bad." Keisuke said, trying to comfort Minako.

Just then, Kin took out a napkin and dried Minako's tears for her, before making the napkin disappear.

It was like watching a magician pacify a child. She immediatedly stopped weeping and had her mouth open for a while. Seemed like he had a good side after all.

"Yeesh… what a crybaby." I heard Tamaki

grumble under her breath.

"Oh, right… she didn't like her." I recalled.

No one else heard her though, as we continued tapping away on our screens.

Next was 'Rules'.

Lemme see here… there were a total of 7 rules. Before I could read them, Kyoshi broke the silence.

"Uh Monokuma, I don't get many of the rules so could you explain them to me?"

"HUH?! I thought I made them easy to understand… your brain size might be smaller than mine and Kunie's combined," Monokuma said, trying to guilt trip Kunie. "I'll explain them to everyone then!"

Kunie just looked away with indifference. She seemed as though she was in a different world; even though her clothes made her look childish, she really was mature. She insulted Kyoshi, but it was for his own good. She foresaw what Monokuma had planned and reacted almost instantly, albeit her way of putting things across might be rude to others.

"Ahem,"

#1: Students may only reside within the school. Any attempts of breaking out is liable for punishment.

"Reside within the school? Does that mean we'll be sleeping here?" Minako asked.

"Of course! I even have special bedrooms prepared for all of you, so don't worry!"

"As long as I get to sleep… *yawn*." Kunie said.

#2: "Night Time" is from 10pm to 7am. Some areas are off limits, so exercise some caution. Water will also not work during this period of time.

"Would we be punished if we don't sleep by 10? What if we need water?" Yukiko asked.

"No you won't. But if you are always thirsty, like Keisuke, you might want to store bottles with water and prepare them in advance!"

"At least me and Monokuma agree on one thing…" Hana said, while staring Keisuke down.

"All right, all right! I give in…" Keisuke held both his hands up, looking dejectedly at Hana. "I only meant to compliment you though…"

Hana blushed slightly and looked away while replying.

"I-is that so? Then thanks I guess…"

"Get a room!" Kyoshi joked again.

#3: Sleeping anywhere other than the Dormitory during "Night Time" is punishable.

#4: With minimal restrictions, you are allowed to explore Hope's Peak on your own discretions.

"What about the other floors then, Monokuma?" Settan enquired.

"They'll be open once something happens. Till then its a secret. Upupupupu…"

I had a feeling he would say that.

#5: Violence against headmaster Monokuma is prohibited, as is any destruction of security cameras.

I glanced around the room, it was then that I remembered what Monokuma said from earlier.

"Though there are cameras spying on you 24/7, but those don't matter. Oops, I said too much early in the game!"

So he really was telling the truth. Were these cameras all over the academy? If so we really would have no chances of privacy or worse still, escaping this place. Looks like things weren't as simple as I thought, nor was Monokuma just a normal kidnapper…

#6: Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes a 'blackened' will graduate, unless the student is discovered to be the killer.

"How do we even 'discover' a killer?" Tamaki asked.

"Simple, we find clues that point to the killer, before trapping the person in his own lies, and then we kill him ourselves before he kills us!" Yui exclaimed.

"Uhh… I don't think it works that way…" I said.

"Well it does in certain animes, who are you to say!" Yui raised her voice.

"Come on Yui, its okay, I'm sure he was just joking, right?" Tamaki said, trying to pacify her.

I awkwardly nodded my head and flashed a forced smile before letting Monokuma explain.

"Well, Yui was partially correct! All of you will have a chance to participate in finding out who the real killer is! When someone is found to be dead, we'll all proceee to "Investigation Time"! After a few hours of investigation, we would then head for our "Class Trial", where you would all discuss the evidence everyone has found, and then ultimately decide on the 'blackened'. Guess right, and the rest of the innocents will survive, leaving the killer to his punishment; Guess wrong, and the killer will graduate, escaping the academy, leaving the rest of you to your punishment time!" Monokuma finished.

"Punishment? What kind of punishment?" I asked.

"… Upupupu."

"Monokuma?"

"… Upupupu."

"I think he's waiting for us to guess," Settan said. "Is it a physical punishment? Torture? Like how they keep those prisoners of war?"

"No, it's far more wondrous than that! I would never dish out such boring punishments!"

"Uh… free medication?" Minako tried.

"No, it's even better!"

"Going back home?" Aki added.

"No no no, you're all deviating from our current topic! When I meant better, I meant it would bring about more despair for everyone!" He gave a dramatic pause.

"The punishments I'm referring to are obviously executions! Not only that, they are specialised executions for everyone, and they will be done publicly. All right, no more spoilers."

He covered his mouth and stopped talking. I think we were starting to see how twisted but serious he was being, though I was still doubting on whether anyone would kill just to leave the place.

"You're going to such extents to make us play such a game, what's in it for you? I clearly see no benefit for you, only detriments for us." Kaneko concluded.

"You want the answer so badly, my detective? Upupupu…" Monokuma hid his face for a while. "It's DESPAIR! AHAHAHAHAH!"

Everyone of us turned to look at one another.

Despair?

"Despair? Does it turn you on to see people despair?" Yui insinuiated.

"Pervert." Kunie added.

"It does more than that, it THRILLS me! Kills, thrills, chills! Who doesn't like that? Only you lame students," he said. "I forgive you though, since you're all young and naive. Despair obviously hasn't set in yet. But when it does…"

"When it does?" Keisuke demanded.

"You'll have to see for yourself Keisuke!"

"Tch... stop making fools of us. We would never kill one another." Keisuke made a pained expression while clenching his fist.

Upon hearing these words, I felt a glimmer of hope. Someone finally addressed the situation, and affirmed our fears to be for naught. We would never kill one another.

I would never.

"Keisuke…" Minako cried, apparently touched by what he just said.

"We're all in this together, so don't worry!" Kyoshi said.

"For someone with a pea brain, you know some stuff well," Kunie said, trying to hide her smile. "I know everyone's pumped and all, but the only thing we can do now is wait for help."

"She's right. Let's have faith in our family and friends." Mako concured.

Kin raised his hand, and took out a small cage from his suit. Inside it was a pigeon. Covering it with his handkerchief, he made a mysterious motion with his hand, and removed the cloth. The bird had disappeared. He took off his hat, revealing the same bird which was now on his head instead of in the cage.

"I guess that's his way of saying we can be free?" Iwao hazarded a guess, garnering a nod from the magician.

At that moment, even if only for a bit, I believed that we all felt somewhat relieved. What was that word…

Hope.

We had hope.

But this was all short lasted before Monokuma brought us back to our senses.

"HEY you guys, I still have one more rule!" Monokuma interrupted.

#7: Additional school regulations may be added if necessary.

"This is to prevent pesky kids from finding loopholes around the rules. I learnt my lesson from the previous times, when students didn't listen to what I had to say, just because it wasn't in the rules…"

"Wait a minute, did you just say previous times?" Settan questioned angrily. "Were there people who were forced to go through the same thing before?"

"Hmm, maybe? Maybe not? I guess it's up to me to know, and you to find out!"

"Why did I even bother asking," grumbled Settan. "At least you tried, don't worry. It's just a stupid stuffed doll anyway." Yukiko comforted.

"I'm not a stuffed doll! I'm a cute little bear who has lustrous fur and nice smelling farts!"

"I'm surprised how he didn't address how we called him stupid…" Tamaki said.

"I agree! He REALLY is stupid." Yui agreed, trying to make Monokuma lose his cool.

"You can try all you like, but insults won't make me angry," said Monokuma. "I'm a happy caring bear! In fact, I'm so caring that I should be renamed after one of the care bears!"

"Yuck, even his taste in shows is soooo off. I was half expecting him to bring up some bear anime." Yui said, while fiddling with her thumbs.

"Anyway," Monokuma started. "I wasn't expecting any of you to kill in the first place. After all, what fun was it if there was someone going around killing everyone immediatedly after I explained everything?"

I could see where he was going.

"A motive?" Kaneko said, not very sure of herself.

"Yes! A motive!" Monokuma beckoned to us to follow, to which we reluctantly did. He brought us through hallways which we've walked through before, eventually arriving at a room labelled "AV Room". He held opened the door for us and stood there as if waiting for something to happen.

"Come on, go on in! Why are all of you so scared? Not like I'm going to kill you or anything… or am I?"

"Just joking! NYAHAHAHAH!" He laughed creepily.

Aki was the first to enter, followed by the rest of us. The computers were positioned in rows of 4 by 4, and we filled up the seats according to our flashing names on the computers. Somehow, I had a bad feeling about this.

"Sit tight class, your personalised videos are going to start playing only once, so make sure you don't miss out anything!"

As soon as he said that, my screen changed to a video player.

These words flashed briefly on screen: "The following is a short clip, made by Monokuma Enterprises. The story, names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be

inferred. Enjoy!"

My family was sitting happily at our dining table, eating breakfast together. All of a sudden, there were loud bangs on the front door, before people broke in. People holding guns. People who were pointing them at my family. There were cries, pleas from them as they were taken away at gunpoint. There was a gunshot off screen, and the scene changed to that of the very same dining table, this time instead of my family sitting there, were 3 Monokumas who were eating and laughing away happily.

When was this taken?

Question after question flooded my mind, and a migraine followed soon after. My feelings of hatred, fear, worried all bundled into one.

Despair.

Was this what he meant for us to feel despair?

Mostly, everyone had similar reactions.

Minako and Yui were weeping.

Iwao was biting on his lips.

Keisuke banged his fist.

Kunie had her head on the table.

Shoko stood up, ready to confront Monokuma, but was held back by a teary Kyoshi.

Kaneko looked bored.

Yukiko was rapidly typing on the keyboard, trying to access the video again.

Tamaki seemed furious.

Kin had buried his face in his hat.

Settan had one hand on his pistol, while Aki was whispering words into his ear, and patting his back.

Mako was just staring into blank space.

"Nyahahahah! Are you starting to feel it? Oh this joyous emotion of despair never fails to soothe my heart…" Monokuma taunted. "Don't worry too much, these are all just animated shorts!"

"Don't give me that bullshit," Keisuke started, with venom in his words. "There's no way that was just an animated short. I don't know how was that a motive for me to escape, but all I want to do now is to find out who the fuck you are, and bring you down."

However, everyone else remained quiet, brooding over what we all just watched. It was so surreal and happened so quickly, even I had trouble believing what I just saw, though it was obviously my family, and my house.

We were all afraid of going against Monokuma now. Whoever he was, he had the power to endanger our loved ones. In fact, they might already have been-

No. Don't think like that. This is what he wants you to think.

I looked over at Monokuma with hatred, and he gave me a wave back.

"Hmm… it's getting quite late, why not you all retreat to your rooms? Just follow the map and you'll find them. Most of you seem to need cooling down anyway. The rooms are already designated, and to enter them you just have to scan your ElectroIDs on the door. Now go ahead, shoo! Night Time is approaching."

As we all left the AV Room, I was someone tapped me on the back. It was Kaneko.

"Say, what was your video? Was it about your family?"

"Yea… why do you ask?"

"Just wanted to confirm something. Mine was about my family as well."

"Would you kill over this?" I asked, surprising her.

"No." She replied firmly, providing me some sort of relief.

"Have a good rest," she ended. "See you tomorrow, I guess."

I nodded and made my way over to my room, following the map. After a brief walk, I arrived and scanned my ElectroID.

Locking the door, I scanned the room. It looked like those kinds of rooms you get at a hotel, except that it was less grand. All I could think of now was sleep, as I just wanted to forget everything that happened and pretend I was in a dream. I jumped onto the bed, burying my face in the pillow provided.

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"It is now 10PM. Night Time has commenced and water supply has been cut off. Good night everyone, and sweet dreams…"

I barely heard the announcement, before I eventually fell into Hypno's clutches, tired out by the events of today.

All that I was left with was a sinking suspicion, that something would go horribly wrong.

Alive (16)  
Hideki Yu, Ultimate ?  
Koike Yui, Ultimate Otaku  
Fushieda Minako, Ultimate Nurse  
Shimamura Keisuke, Ultimate Parkourist  
Azai Kin, Ultimate Magician  
Ekiguchi Settan, Ultimate Marksman  
Dazai Kyoshi, Ultimate Body Builder  
Takara Hana, Ultimate Choir Lead  
Seyama Kunie, Ultimate Sleeper  
Satoya Iwao, Ultimate Soccer Star  
Oushima Mako, Ultimate Polyglot  
Kitamura Shoko, Ultimate Geologist  
Ogyu Aki, Ultimate Psychiatrist  
Takekawa Yukiko, Ultimate Secretary  
Takasu Kaneko, Ultimate Sleuth  
Inaba Tamaki, Ultimate Babysitter

Dead (0)

(AN: Ugh, as I said this chapter was rather dry. Don't worry though, the next would be more character progression (which I hope I distributed evenly this time) and hopefully soon after… the inevitable.

If you do want to vote for a certain character's Free Time, do feel free to PM me! It'll help me make decisions easier too.

Thanks.) 


	3. Chapter 3

(AN: Another new update! Free Time will begin from now onwards, and they will be in script format like the games. I'm still accepting Free Time votes, so go ahead if the character you wanted to see wasn't in this chapter!)

This isn't my room…

… where was I?

Oh, right.

I begun to recall the events of yesterday, which only let more worry set in. My parents and my sister... were they still safe? There was nothing I could do but hope.

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"Rise and shine you bastards! It's time for a new day! Or as I would say, the early bear gets the honey! Upupupu…"

"On top of that, please gather in the cafeteria. Just refer to the map and find the food icon. This goes out specially to our moron, Kyoshi."

He ended the announcement, and I went to wash up in the toilet. I turned the knob of the tap, which let out water. Right, Night Time ended. What was the logic behind cutting off our water supply anyway? Was he afraid of us flooding the school? I couldn't think of any reason to why he would include such a rule, but pondering deeper only made me more curious. After washing my face, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

I looked terrible. 2 nightmares, not including the one which I was currently in, on top of the video which kept replaying in my mind surely contributed to this.

Yesterday had definitely taken a toll on me.

After a brief body maintenance, I made my way over to the cafeteria, following the map in my ElectroID. Sure enough, I arrived at the correct location. On the double doors were symmetrical paintings of Monokumas holding platters of food. Whoever drew them was good enough to be the Ultimate Artist… who would even draw for a psychopath?

For some reason, I felt anxious to see what was on the other side. Maybe it was because the video from yesterday was still weighing down on me. Despite how much I tried to bury it in the facets of my mind, I only got reminded of it even more frequently.

Were things going to change from here on out? Were the videos Monokuma showed us strong enough of a motive to kill? Despite the trust I had in my newfound classmates, my thoughts fell lackluster in comparison.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I pushed the door open, to be greeted by something which was the last thing I expected to see.

On the ground lay Kunie.

There, her neck seemed dirtied by a bright red.

A kitchen knife was by her side, its cold stainless steel reflecting certain light, but not fully.

After all, its edge was stained a bright red too.

Glass shards.

They were from a jar. You could see them coming together like puzzle pieces to form one if you had above average visualition abilities.

Of course, they were red.

Red...

That was the last thing I remembered.

"Yu! Yu! Yu!"

Damn, what the...

I was being shaken vigorously. What's going on?

"Wake up already!"

"Hey, let him have more shuteye, after all what we do have is time, no?"

"I-I'm s-sorry!"

*Splash*

All I could feel was cold water on me, from top to bottom. When I meant cold, it really was cold. You know, the kind of cold that some swimming pools have? Or that kind of cold which would make you think twice about stepping into a shower? It was that cold, so naturally, it forced me up with a jolt.

"Did you really have to do that!" I asked instinctively, looking around.

Everyone was staring at me, but one person was trembling and bowing her head.

Fushieda Minako.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean harm... I just wanted to wake you up!" She started. "I was afraid you would go into shock, I couldn't find an AED and..."

Before she tried to continue, I interrupted her, "Minako... I didn't mean to overreact. I'm sorry. I know you meant it out of goodwill."

Good, she calmed down. Ugh, being drenched reallllly doesn't feel good though. The air conditioner wasn't helping either.

Wait a minute, wasn't there something more important I was forgetting at hand?

"How and why did you faint here anyway?" Aki asked.

"That's right... Kunie! What happened to her?"

"Huh..? Whaddya mean? She's right there," Settan pointed. "Are you going like nuts, or something?"

"I think Monokuma finally got to him..." Mako guessed.

"Maybe it was the video...?" Yukiko added.

They were all probably thinking I'm crazy, because low and behold sitting at one of the tables visibly sleeping, was Kunie.

All the blood that I had previously seen had disappeared, and the mess cleaned up.

I explained to the rest what I had seen, and tried to get them to believe me.

After hearing to what I had to say, some of them looked at one another before I got an answer.

"Uh... if you're referring to that then you can probably thank Yui for it," Tamaki said sheepishly, throwing her gaze in a different direction. "She didn't mean it though, I mean... it was her first time trying to open a jar of jam."

Wait, wouldn't this mean...?

"So you tried to open a jar of strawberry jam with a knife, dropped it on accident, getting jam all over Yui, who was still sleeping soundly?" I concluded with disappointment, but also relief.

She nodded, then hurriedly said, "That was my second time opening a jar of jam, it worked the first time..."

"That was probably because you got lucky." Kin muttered, while playing with the same cards from yesterday.

"Don't feel all that bad, I'll help you with them next time. Big cans, small cans, just call me when you can!" Kyoshi offered, having a big smile along with a bad pun.

"Don't get too close to her old man," Tamaki joked. "Go find someone your size to mess with."

"O-old man?! Do I look that old?!" Kyoshi exclaimed, while running off to the washroom, probably to confirm what he just heard.

Tamaki smirked, and then burst into laughter after he left the room since he fell for her joke so easily.

Still, the scene before that didn't look something like an accident... On first glance, anyone who saw what I did would have assumed the same. That's how it looked like. That was something that I didn't want to see. That was an act I believed none of us could have accomplished.

Murder...

"So who cleaned up the mess?"

"It is I. Though I specialise in organisation of activities for the bigger groups, I have a knack of keeping things clean as well." Yukiko ended, as she flicked her glasses upwards.

Figures. That explains everything then.

"Hey! Did you all forget I was here?! Don't keep your headmaster waiting!"

Right. We were here for some brief apparently, since we were told to gather.

Just then, Monokuma sounded the PA system.

"Kyoshi! Get your ass back here! We're waiting for you to start a brief goddamnit! Time is precious!"

"Didn't he mention that we had a lot of time just a while ago?" Iwao questioned.

"Yes we do, but we could always use more time for killing, instead of killing time by waiting for Kyoshi!" Monokuma ended, making no sense whatsoever.

We waited for about a good 5 minutes, before Keisuke volunteered to look for Kyoshi.

"He probably got lost or something." Aki suggested.

"I find it easier to imagine him staring at himself in the mirror," Tamaki added. "I can't believe he's so gullible."

I chuckled for a bit, before turning to Settan, who was playing with food.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm practicing of course," Settan answered with surprise. "Isn't it obvious I'm training?"

Right. Ultimate Marksman, got to get that in my head. What he was doing was throwing carrot sticks at a target the other side of the room. The piece of paper had a well drawn picture of those boards you would find at an archery range.

"I provided him with the target ring since he asked so nicely." Yukiko said, with a grin on her face.

For some reason, I could see a flicker of insanity in her eyes. Dangerous. She's kinda strange.

"Go Settan! Blast those evil things back to where they belong!" cheered Yui.

Adopting a blank face, he started taking aim. With a smooth flick of his hand, the stick propelled through the air, eventually finding its mark in the center of the target.

Turning to us, he exclaimed, "How was that?!"

"Enough of that! I'm adding that to the rules!"

Our ElectroIDs vibrated.

Rule #8: No wasting of food.

"Can't have you bastards wasting my resources anymore, you people take it like food is free," Monokuma continued. "Running out of food would only mean everyone dies sooner…"

"He's back…" Keisuke panted.

The double doors opened to reveal a very distressed Kyoshi and a tired Keisuke. It was obvious he was still affected by Tamaki's earlier statement. Ignoring Kyoshi, Monokuma waddled over to one of the tables (yes, waddled), and hopped onto it, looking us at eye level. This continued for a good 20 seconds, before someone spoke up.

"So… Monokuma?" Shoko said, with a frown.

"Oh, right! We were here for the brief weren't we?" Hana asked, after realising what Shoko meant.

"Relax, I was just waiting for Kunie to wake up," he said with his paws in the air. "I wouldn't want her missing anything, ya know?! That would be extremely terrible of a headmaster to do!"

"I agree." Kin said.

"I've been awake since everyone was flustering over Yu."

Kunie looked dreamily at Monokuma; the drool dripping from the edge of her mouth didn't make her story sound very convincing though.

"Alright, now that everyone's awake, I'll want to reinforce some rules and give a special surprise since everyone has been so well behaved!"

"Everyone was awake this whole while," Aki said. "Besides, didn't he just nag about how Settan was wasting food?"

"Yea… he took away my only source of fun."

"Enough of that mindless fun you've been having, I'll be teaching everyone what fun really is!"

As he said that, our ElectroIDs vibrated once again, and I hurriedly checked for any new information he might have provided. However, I was greeted by an empty screen.

"Monokuma, all I got were vibrations!" Yui said, looking quite

upset.

"That's what she said." Keisuke laughed afterwards.

"Same for me as well. Did anyone else get anything?" Mako looked around.

Everyone shook their heads, to which Monokuma gave an eerie screech.

"HAHAHAHHAHA! It was just a joke! Or was it? That's all for today! Go explore the academy while you still are alive and kicking, bastards!"

He then ran out of the cafeteria in a hurry.

No trapdoor this time huh?

Oddly enough, the rest of the Ultimates didn't seem to be disturbed by what just occured. Even though no one received any new motive in particular, I had a strange feeling that something was amiss. Surely there was no way he would have called for a briefing otherwise, what was the point?

Shoko coughed loudly, to get our attention.

"I trust that everyone of you have had enough scares since yesterday, but I urge you to think twice before you act. A murderer is still a murderer and I don't expect anyone here to be one. As long as you don't hurt me, I won't hurt you and everything will be fine."

Even though he made it sound reasonable, what I could gather from his small speech and tone of voice was that he still didn't trust us.

"I agree. What should we do for now?" Mako asked.

"We should make full use of our time to know each other better. That's all we can do for now. Bonds might be something we need, especially in such situations. Monokuma isn't going to kill us himself, and if we can ensure everyone isn't hostile, we should be fine." Yukiko concluded.

"Minako agrees!" She stammered.

"I guess she's right huh Aki?" Settan said.

"She knows her stuff well. But I could have handled that better," smirked Aki.

Even though the mood was lightened, I didn't feel that comfortable staying here and continuing the mindless conversations. The fact that yesterday left me with an awful feeling in the stomach wasn't helping my appetite much either. I decided to go explore alone since I saw most of the people just wasting time mingling around in the cafeteria while eating.

I scanned the room briefly, and my eyes landed on a certain someone which I couldn't stop staring at.

Kaneko appeared to be deep in thought once again, and for a moment, I thought of how she might have not took what transpired at face value as well. She was a sleuth after all. I brushed it off once Minako poked my shoulder.

"Y-Yu, I'm sorry for earlier!"

Not this again. I patted her shoulder and affirmed her that I was okay, telling her to inform everyone of my plans, before heading off to explore the first floor. As Monokuma said, there was no harm exploring, and I was determined to find a way out of the academy.

Areas available on 1F

[Hall]  
[Cafeteria]  
[Dormitory]  
[Music Room]  
[Nurse's Office]  
[AV Room]  
[Greenhouse]  
[Staircase to 2F]

==FREE TIME==

On top of exploring, I wanted to know more about others. Forging bonds… I just felt like that would alleviate some of my burdens and help me manage my emotions better.

[Walking past the music room, I heard a J Pop song which I recognised. Peeking in, I saw Hana.]

HANA: And all I see is empty space…

Should I hang out with Hana?

Yes

No

HANA: Yu! It's rude to interrupt a singer!

[Hana berated me for a while.]

HANA: And that is why, you should always knock on doors!

YU: Eh, but I was just peeking to see who it was…

HANA: What if I was changing?

HANA: Would you have paid the price for seeing me bare?

YU: What?!

HANA: Would you have decided to marry me on the spot?

YU: No!

HANA: Exactly.

YU: Somehow I feel like you're only winning this conversation because of your gender…

HANA: Don't be a sore loser, and cheer up, you've been looking gloomy since yesterday, all that's doing is giving you more wrinkles and us more worry.

YU: I guess you're right. Say, where did you come from? I've never heard of you but you sing amazingly well.

HANA: Huhh? Oh. I was from Sobu High. I practiced everyday in Choir, even on weekends so it's only natural.

YU: You don't seem very flattered at my attempts to praise you.

HANA: I get that almost all the time… so much so that I dislike it.

YU: What do you mean?

HANA: Receiving so much praise from everyone… it kind of takes away the glory from the rest of the choir you know? Only the leads get appreciated and the ensemble get disregarded at times.

HANA: Maybe I did deserve that…

YU: ?

HANA: Never mind! It's nothing!

[We continued talking, but she avoided the topic of "what she deserved". I had a feeling that probing would only make her uncomfortable so I decided not to. Her singing was the best I've heard without editing though.]

==HANA'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==

ID: Takara Hana / Ultimate Choir Lead

She put a lot of effort into singing, though she felt guilty for it?

Closeness Level: 1 ==LEVEL UP!== 2

[I explored the Nurse's Office, having a hunch that someone was there…]

MINAKO: This is good, now I can ensure everyone is safe.

Should I hang out with Minako?

Yes

No

MINAKO: O-oh!

[She got startled by me, but continued her tasks afterwards.]

YU: Are you about done?

MINAKO: Antibiotics…

YU: Minako?

MINAKO: Paracetamol…

YU: …

MINAKO: Finally done with the medicine checks!

MINAKO: Oh! Were you waiting for me to finish my checks?

YU: No.

MINAKO: Okay then. Sit right there while I continue checking for the other common items.

YU: (Is she treating me like a patient? Why does she seem so calm now?)

YU: I can help you if you don't mind.

MINAKO: Sure!

[Minako and I checked the other common items.]

MINAKO: So there is an AED in this school… usually they put those up at common areas but it seems like this is the only one on this level.

YU: Yea, you don't expect Monokuma to give us that good treatment. He probably took the other AEDs to sell since he was running low on budget.

MINAKO: That's extremely irresponsible of him! What if someone like you faints again?

YU: You can splash another bucket of water?

MINAKO: No I wouldn't -

MINAKO: I'm s-sorry… Are you still angry?

YU: No, it's fine. I was only joking around, you ought to be less tense sometimes.

MINAKO: I can't help it, I had to stand up for my sister quite often since she always got bullied in school. The reason why I got better at nursing was because I often treated her wounds and diseases…

YU: Sounds like a really sad way to get better at nursing. Where's your sister now?

MINAKO: … I… can't remember.

[After a few minutes of her clutching her forehead, I decided to tell her not to think too much of it. Looked like she had slight memory loss as well…]

==MINAKO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==

ID: Fushieda Minako / Ultimate Nurse

She got better than nursing because she often had to treat her sister who was bullied, and she seemed to have memory loss as well.

Closeness Level: 1 ==LEVEL UP!== 2

[I went back to the cafeteria and saw Yui, along with Tamaki.]

TAMAKI: So you put your fingers like so, and lift the lid up. See? It's that simple.

YUI: Let me try!

Should I hang out with Tamaki and Yui?

Yes

No

TAMAKI: Sure, why not? Yui needs more guidance on opening jars anyway.

YUI: …

[After a few minutes, she finally got the hang of it.]

YUI: See? It was that easy after all.

TAMAKI: You were struggling for that long to accomplish something normal people could do naturally without any practice.

YUI: But I'm not normal? I have no parents remember?

YU: No parents…?

TAMAKI: Is it okay if I tell him?

YUI: (Nods her head.)

TAMAKI: Her parents left her at a young age without even putting her under anyone's care.

YU: I see… why did they leave her?

YUI: I don't know.

YU: No idea at all?

YUI: (Shakes head fervently.)

YUI: Then I joined the Otakus afterwards, where they sheltered me with love and care similar to what I gave to my anime.

YU: Otakus?

YUI: They're an organisation of people dedicated to anime who help others without asking for anything in return.

YUI: They were the only reason I survived at all…

TAMAKI: Don't go harping on sad pasts again Yui, it doesn't seem like yourself.

YU: Not to be rude, but you seem like her mother.

TAMAKI: Using the old joke on me eh? I'm not Kyoshi, ya know?

YU: I didn't mean it that way.

TAMAKI: Oh? Then what was it about?

YU: Since we arrived you both have been clinging onto one another, did you know each other before?

TAMAKI and YUI: Nope.

YU: Okay…

TAMAKI: But I guess you could say I have a knack for attracting children. Instead of like being a chick magnet I'm like a child magnet!

YUI: That would be an interesting concept for an anime… Child magnet…

YU: I don't want to see where this is going.

YUI: Why not? Do you have a problem with my hobby?

YU: Not in particular.

TAMAKI: Now now, don't fight children. Bickering alone is enough.

YU: Don't treat me like a child…

YUI: Yes Tamaki!

YU: (She really does act like a child huh? I guess it's only natural for her to be drawn to Tamaki then.)

YUI: If you have nothing else to talk about, I would appreciate it if you would continue exploring and find anime for me to watch. I'm getting tired of this place…

TAMAKI: (Waves me away.)

YU: …

[I bid them farewell and exited the cafeteria. Yui and Tamaki were a weird pair, yet they seemed so natural together. Had to keep in mind not to mention anything about Yui's parents from now on.]

==YUI'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==

ID: Koike Yui / Ultimate Otaku

I learnt that she was abandoned at a very young age, and apparently survived because an organisation called Otakus took her in out of goodwill.

Closeness Level: 1 == LEVEL UP! == 2

==TAMAKI'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==

ID: Inaba Tamaki / Ultimate Babysitter

Children magnet. Children naturally feel at ease with her since she probably seems motherly to them.

Closeness Level: 1 == LEVEL UP! == 2

[I went to the staircase to make sure the path was really blocked. After all, I only heard it from the others. An iron door stood in my path to

the next floor, similar to the one we opened from the room we found ourselves in. After trying to unlock the door, I noticed Keisuke was doing headstands just by the stairs.]

KEISUKE: 10…9…8…

Should I help him with his training?

Yes

No

KEISUKE: Yu! I knew I could count on you!

YU: Don't expect too much from me.

[I helped Keisuke train, which included timekeeping and holding his legs up for the headstand.]

KEISUKE: Phew! That sure packed a punch. Thanks Yu.

YU: No problem.

YU: One question though.

KEISUKE: Fire away!

YU: Aren't you a parkourist? Why headstands? Aren't they a part of gymnastics?

KEISUKE: Ahh. I actually do both though I'm more renowed for parkour. This is just to make sure I don't go rusty despite being trapped here…

YU: That makes sense. After all, the two are kinda similar.

KEISUKE: Yep, I find both of them real cool. That was one of the reasons I picked both up. To attract girls and all you know?

YU: That's quite the commitment.

KEISUKE: That's right.

YU: One more question?

KEISUKE: ?

YU: That rainbow band…

KEISUKE: Yup, I'm a homosexual.

YU: Are you for real?

KEISUKE: No way.

[He laughs for a bit, before continuing.]

KEISUKE: That was why I started parkour.

KEISUKE: I had this one friend who was… gay. He was amazing at parkour but he got mocked by his friends once they found out he swung that way.

KEISUKE: It got quite bad till the extent where he was having trouble parkouring on his own since everyone were throwing insults at him while he was doing so. So I joined him and pretended I was one as well, to keep people off him. Eventually, the insults stopped. Some friends he had, huh?

YU: Wow… I never thought of you to be that sort of person to be honest.

KEISUKE: I actually believe it's only natural you would think that way.

YU: I understand. Hana is probably still angry with you, just saying.

YU: Because of how you usually act, and all.

KEISUKE: Ehh?! Why did you bring her up?

YU: For no real reason.

KEISUKE: I-I see.

[We continued the banter on for a bit, until I decided to take a break for today. Keisuke got quite embarrassed whenever I brought up Hana.]

==KEISUKE'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==

ID: Shimamura Keisuke / Ultimate Parkourist

Rainbow band was a keepsake from when he used to protect his homosexual friend. He has an obvious liking for Hana, and he actually seems more thoughtful than he appeared to be.

Closeness Level: 1 == LEVEL UP! == 2

After all that interacting, I felt hungry and decided to head over to the cafeteria for dinner. As I approached the same double doors I was so apprehensive about opening this morning, the smell of cooked food wafted through the air.

"That looks really good!"

I opened the doors to find a feast prepared before me. The tables had been aligned together to form a long one, and atop were plates of food, from different cuisines all ready to be consumed.

I was wondering whether Monokuma prepared dinner for us, before realising that Mako was the one stirring up all the food. A few others were by her side, and looking awestruck by how well she cooked.

"Weren't you a polyglot the last time I saw you?"

"I can cook too, you know?" She said, looking rather disappointed.

"But does the food taste as good as it looks?" Iwao used as an excuse, before darting over to the table to snitch a bite from one of the dishes.

"Sigh. Someone control him please, at this rate he's going to finish everything before everyone arrives." Mako facepalmed.

"Where did you get all this food anyway?"

"It is none other than Headmaster Monokuma that was so glorious to provide us with the food we needed!"

Just when I was wondering where he was, he appeared out of nowhere and started making a ruckus. The mood instantly shifted to one which I was familiar too. We were all cautious of this small talking bear who we knew too well to mess with. Of course, the person who said that he was glorious was himself as well.

Deciding to be rid of him for a few moments, I told him to do me a favour.

"Hey, Monokuma."

"Yes, pupil? How may I assist you today? Do you want a lesson on despair? Or perhaps watch an educational movie on how the world came to despair?"

"Could you kindly use the PA system to get everyone gathered here? I'm sure you wouldn't want the food to go to waste," I said, filtering out the nonsense I just heard. "After all, it's even mentioned in one of the rules."

"Aww… I thought you were more than that Yu, but I'll get them here," Monokuma whimpered. "It IS a rule after all…"

He made a few weird hand gestures before the PA system sounded off.

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"Hey you bastards! Gather in the cafeteria in 5 minutes. And I mean it! Ok, buhbye!"

Iwao tried to imitate what he just did but all he got were weird stares and laughs from us in return.

A short while after, everyone gathered in the cafeteria for the feast prepared by Mako.

I chose to sit with Kaneko, Settan and Aki.

Monokuma left us to eat by ourselves, but I didn't feel assured with the cameras pointing at us. I was sure that he was monitoring our every action with those cameras…

Wait, the rules didn't mention anything about breaking out. If I recall vaguely…

#5: Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is prohibited, as is any destruction of security cameras.

But it didn't mention anything about breaking walls to get out. I tapped Kaneko's shoulder lightly and whispered into her ear.

"Hey, do you think we might be able to break out of this school?"

"I've already considered that possibility but given the rules he already gave us, I doubt he hasn't considered this loophole. So there is probably an extremely low chance we would be able to break out. After exploring the whole floor, I deduced there weren't any appropriate tools to aid us as well."

"I see…" I sighed.

She nodded and continued eating.

"The fuck?"

Shoko stood up and glared at Kyoshi, who just spilled his cranberry juice all over him, most likely on accident. He proceeded to wipe his shirt while still staring him down.

"I-I didn't mean it! I swear, I'm sorry!" Kyoshi stammered.

"Stop it both of you!" Minako shouted.

"Shoko. Don't." Keisuke said calmly.

"I just want to get out of this damned hellhole… being stuck with imbeciles like him isn't helping much." Shoko said, withdrawing his gaze.

"Everyone wants to, but for now, there's nothing much we can do." I said.

"We can kill…" Kin intruded, with a crazed expression in his eyes.

"NO! I mean, n-no way! Don't think like that man," Settan stammered nervously. "You're scaring me…"

"I was just stating the facts of this game, when you think about it, it's kill or be killed really… the one who makes the first move will win."

"That's what Monokuma wants you to do, playing into his hand won't help our situation very much you know," Yukiko rebutted. "Or are you perhaps a traitor?"

"I am not."

"He is awfully suspicious now that I think about it," Yui perked up. "My female intuition says he is!"

"Don't add fire to fire, Yui." Tamaki stopped her.

"I just want to see my family…" Kyoshi said rather softly.

"If everyone thinks of me as such then go ahead. Kill me."

No… how did it come to this? Weren't we in this together? I balled my fists up and stood up, but before I could say anything, Kaneko sat me down and stood up in my stead.

"I know we might not be trusting of one another because we just met, but for the sake of everyone I suggest we adopt a buddy system temporarily. Since trust is something we can't earn that easily, making sure that someone else is always with us would ensure no one can do anything suspicious."

"Let's form groups of 2 to 4. At any one point of time, no one should be alone. This way, everyone should be safe and there won't be any chances for a murder to happen."

"I agree with Kaneko." Aki said.

"That's a great idea!" Iwao gasped. "Why didn't I think of that earlier…"

With this, it seemed like the situation at hand was resolved and on top of that, we forged a stronghold to prioritise safety even though trust was an issue. Kaneko truly was amazing in her own regard.

After much persuasion, Shoko sat back down and everyone continued eating. However, the atmosphere was tense, and no one was talking much.

The security cameras pointed at us this whole while… even though Monokuma didn't show up I'm sure he was laughing at us fighting over the cameras. I was sure of it.

We dispersed after dinner to our rooms, or at least I did, to rest and ponder about today's happenings. I fell asleep before the daily announcement even played, meaning I was dead beat and down before 10pm.

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"It is now 10PM. Night Time has commenced and water supply has been cut off. Good night everyone, and sweet dreams…"

[Somewhere in Hope's Peak]

The school just seemed so much creepier at night, the kind of feel you would get from an abandoned building. Shadows cluttered the hallways, and in this certain place where two students were gathered, they enveloped grounds and walls abound.

Moonlight dawned upon the room, giving them a little peace which they deserved. Tranquility was something they enjoyed for a brief moment.

The aggressor, and the pacifist.

The weights of their anger and guilt combined were immeasurable. Carrying the burden was a task neither of them could accomplish which was why they both seeked an end.

If only I had not been this vengeful.

If only I had not been this careless.

Their thoughts interwined as the night came to an end, and from somewhere, a lone wolf could be heard giving its cry, courtesy of the full moon.

The entrance of two, but the exit of one.

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"Rise and shine you bastards! It's time for a new day! Or as I would say, the early bear gets the honey! Upupupu…"

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"A body has been discovered!"

"Following a brief period of investigation, we will conduct our class trial!"

Alive (16)  
Hideki Yu, Ultimate ?  
Koike Yui, Ultimate Otaku  
Fushieda Minako, Ultimate Nurse  
Shimamura Keisuke, Ultimate Parkourist  
Azai Kin, Ultimate Magician  
Ekiguchi Settan, Ultimate Marksman  
Dazai Kyoshi, Ultimate Body Builder  
Takara Hana, Ultimate Choir Lead  
Seyama Kunie, Ultimate Sleeper  
Satoya Iwao, Ultimate Soccer Star  
Oushima Mako, Ultimate Polyglot  
Kitamura Shoko, Ultimate Geologist  
Ogyu Aki, Ultimate Psychiatrist  
Takekawa Yukiko, Ultimate Secretary  
Takasu Kaneko, Ultimate Sleuth  
Inaba Tamaki, Ultimate Babysitter

Dead (0)

(AN: Sorry to leave it at a cliffhanger! I realised I was writing a bit too much for this chapter so I had to stop somewhere…

I only received votes for Free Time from Cinderfall2001, so I only had those to take into account.

On top of that, I hope you stay with me as the much anticipated investigation would be coming up soon.

As usual, thanks for reading!) 


	4. Chapter 4

(AN: So… what happened?)

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"Rise and shine you bastards! It's time for a new day! Or as I would say, the early bear gets the honey! Upupupu…"

I struggled to wake up. Sleeping too much was a bad idea sometimes. In fact, sleeping in would make you feel sleepier than the night before. Sighing, I got out of bed and changed into fresh clothes which I brought along with me.

I briefly recalled what transpired yesterday: How we fought, and eventually reached a conclusion. The buddy system however, was something that no one stuck to as there were a few who were against it, and a few who simply didn't bother. Hopefully the mood would be lighter today.

Feeling famished, I decided to head over to the cafeteria.

As I opened my door, the door to my right did the same, and I tensed up, before relaxing a little.

"Morning," Keisuke said, with a yawn. "You sure had a good rest last night huh?"

"I kinda knocked out a little early…"

"Did you continue your practice after dinner? You seem awfully tired." I added, while closing the door behind me.

He gave a brief answer which I expected, and we made our way over to the cafeteria. Turning the corner of the hallway though, we saw Shoko cornering a confused Hana. Hana looked afraid of him as she took a few steps back, only to be followed by a few steps forward from Shoko, closing the distance between them. The fact that Hana was now backed into a wall was unsettling, as Shoko continued towards her aggressively.

"Shoko, what do you think you're doing?!" Keisuke rushed to her side and stood between the both adopting an appropriate stance.

"I was just talking to her."

"Didn't look like it," Keisuke observed. "You need to pin the girl to a wall for a talk?"

"I agree with Keisuke on this Shoko, you were awfully near her for just a mere conversation." I added.

"Hana, would you care to explain what we talked about?" Shoko smirked, which was rather uncharacteristic of himself.

Instead of telling us what happened, Hana just turned and ran through the hallway.

"Hey! Hana! Wait!" Keisuke shot a death glare at Shoko, before running off after her.

"We'll settle this later," I said, before trying to catch up to the two.

However, I lost them after they turned another corner.

Okay, so they either went into the music room, or the greenhouse. With bated breath, I pushed the door to the music room open and realised it was the wrong room, before heading over to the greenhouse.

Come to think of it, I never entered the greenhouse yet, though we had ample amounts of time to explore. I guess I was too caught up in conversing with others to remember. I however, knew that such an area existed, because the map displayed it clearly.

The first thing I saw made me squint my eyes for a bit. The sunlight protruded the glass surrounding the greenhouse, which was only natural.

When was the last time I saw sunlight?

It was scary how I had almost forgotten that it was a small piece of freedom stripped from me ever since we were kidnapped here. At this opportune moment, I felt something tugging at the back of my mind, recalling my walk in to Hope's Peak. For some reason, it felt incredibly weird… like I was close to remembering something about my talent. No, it was more than that. After struggling for a bit, I decided that it was impossible to recall any further.

"Help… Help… HELP!"

"What the…"

Just to the left of me were Hana and Keisuke by what I assumed to be the storage shed. Hana crumpled to her knees while Keisuke just stood in silence afterwards. I rushed over and looked into the shed, already expecting the worst.

Doubt.

It was something I tried to deny.

Red.

It was something I didn't want to see.

Regret.

If only I knew.

Despair...

What I currently felt.

Kyoshi with his back against the wall, had his mouth wide open. His body was riddled with bullets and there was a pool of blood beneath where he was sitting. His eyes were closed… if only there wasn't that much blood and the overbearing smell of iron, then maybe I could've mistaken him for being asleep.

I just stood rooted to my spot, and stared at his body. I didn't want to believe… that one of us killed our classmate. How could we? I thought we made a promise…

Was it a prank?

Was it an accident like last time?

Was it a dream?

As these thoughts raced in my mind, all I could stutter was…

"N-no way."

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"A body has been discovered!"

"Following a brief period of investigation, we will conduct our class trial!"

My mind blanked as I continue staring at the lifeless body in front of me.

With no doubt…

Dazai Kyoshi… was dead.

"Nyahahaha! That's right! Someone betrayed you all! Did the person try to take the chance or should I say, a shot, at graduation?" Monokuma startled me as he jumped out from one of the closets in the storage shed. "Great work! This would certainly prove to be very entertaining indeed!"

"Is this funny to you…" Keisuke started. "Does this seem fucking FUNNY TO YOU?!"

"Hold your horses Keisuke, I wouldn't want you to take out your anger on me," Monokuma replied angrily. "After all, it wasn't me but one of you who did the deed!"

"Keisuke… it isn't worth it." I put my hand on him, somewhat restraining him from attacking Monokuma.

I had to calm down too, and get my thoughts in order as well. Now that it was shoved in my face that Kyoshi was dead, there was no way to move but forward. The least I could do was to find out the truth behind his death and avenge him…

"Don't forget, you all have a class trial later on. Upupupu..."

Class trial… that's right. He mentioned something about that. To find the 'blackened' after investigating. A search for the truth in order to survive. This was it.

"A trial you say," I repeated. "To catch the killer."

"Oh dear, I didn't expect you to be so attentive during class," Monokuma sniffled. "My oh so lonely Kyoshi died a terrible death and you're the only ones who can avenge him!"

"Do you hear the sound? The sweet sound of Kyoshi's death pleas… Oh please find evidence to convict the blackened… Who could be so terrible to murder me?! Nyahahahah!"

… He was getting on my nerves.

"Wait, why do we have to clean up after your bullshit?" Keisuke interrupted. "You were the one who caused this by trapping us here…"

He lowered his voice a little, and I realised he noticed Hana was a wreck. She was still staring at the body dumbfounded, with her hands grasping desperately for Kyoshi's.

"Hana… are you o-okay?" Keisuke asked apprehensively after kneeling down next to her.

"… I think I need a break…" She replied, obvious that she was traumatised.

Sighing, Keisuke brought her up and walked her out. Without any words, he managed to convey that he was going to be with Hana for a while.

Shortly after, I ran to the cafeteria to gather everyone in the greenhouse. It was too much for everyone to take… one of us here was the killer. That was the truth that I had to accept and dig out for myself.

Making haste for the greenhouse, Monokuma made his timely arrival once again.

"Congratulations!" He chanted.

"Look at all your faces! Really, you should see it from my perspective, claiming how you were all going to be classmates with such vigor... the amount of trust you had in each other made this hilariously despairing! Only 3 days in and we get a murder?"

"There's a time limit on the investigation, so hurry and work your asses off! Or would you rather die for one blackened to graduate? Upupupupu…"

As he ended, our ElectroIDs vibrated. Holding mine up, there was a new "Evidence Storage" tab available. The button "Monokuma File No.1" was blinking under the tab.

/Victim: Dazai Kyoshi

/Cause of Death:

/Numerous bullet holes filled his body. Died from excessive blood loss and punctured organs.

/Time of Death:

/10.01 PM

/Additional Details:

/He was killed while sleeping.

10.01 PM? Wasn't that yesterday? So no one discovered his body till today… we were the first ones to find him.

"Since I'm such a generous headmaster, I've given you your first piece of evidence. The rest is up to you to find out. It's a game of who dun it!"

And it's a game I couldn't afford to lose.

==INVESTIGATION START!==

(AN: Investigations will also be in script format to make the evidence keeping neater.)

YUKIKO: So… what do we do now?

TAMAKI: Why not we ask the sleuth, she probably has loads of experience regarding these fields of work.

KANEKO: I can try to investigate but I can't guarantee anything.

YU: Can I help?

KANEKO: Just… don't get in the way.

YUI: I can help too, I've watched a couple of mysteries… and when I mean couple I mean a lot!

TAMAKI: Dear, I don't think that's helping the conversation.

YUI: Fine, mom…

SETTAN: Mom?! Since when did you-

TAMAKI: Since never. I merely let her address me as such.

SETTAN: Okay, I see. So you're her real mother.

TAMAKI: Why did I even bother?

YU: Uhm… why not we actually stop digressing from what we're trying to do?

IWAO: As I learnt the good old way through soccer, procrastination never works! Though I admit I'm a little afraid of the blood…

MINAKO: M-me too! But I can conduct a second autopsy to affirm if the bullets were truly the cause of death!

MONOKUMA: Hey! Whaddya mean truly the cause of death? I might be mean at times but I won't lie about important things ya know?

MINAKO: I-I'm sorry!

YU: … But still, a second glance might help us see if we missed any other essential clues.

[She nodded with an awkward grin before going over to assess Kyoshi's body.]

KIN: We don't have much time, do we?

YUKIKO: Not after we already wasted so much. How about we split up into groups?

KUNIE: Wouldn't that only make it easier for us to get killed? The killer might be on the loose… who knows, it might be either Keisuke or Hana, and the other would be in danger right now.

MINAKO: Please stop

t-talking about dying! It's not funny!

MONOKUMA: Don't worry Minako, at least I can assure you that no more killings would happen.

MONOKUMA: For now.

[Our ElectroIDs vibrated once again, and under the rules tab was a new rule.]

#9: During investigation, if anyone were to kill another person, he/she would be instantly punished.

YU: By punish you mean…

MONOKUMA: Yes!

[Looked like I didn't need to ask any further. It was obvious at this point that the stakes we had on this game were high.]

KANEKO: Anyway, I'm done with my investigation. I'll be around.

YU: What?! I didn't even help…

KANEKO: I decided that I would be better off doing things my way, don't take it to heart.

[She left the room in a hurry, as if she knew where she was going next. I went over to Minako, who was still conducting her self autopsy.]

MINAKO: Give me 5 more minutes, I-I'll be done soon.

YU: Sure.

YU: Where do I start… Right. The Monokuma File.

YUKIKO: If you don't mind, I'll be glad to summarise.

YU: E-Eh?! Go ahead…

[She was obviously eavesdropping on me…]

YUKIKO: The cause of death was by a gun of some sort. There are several rounds in his body which proves this.

MINAKO: 7 rounds, to be exact.

MINAKO: No other wounds were found on him apart from the 7 entry and exit wounds from the bullets.

IWAO: That sounds painful… wait… it looks painful…

SETTAN: I-It wasn't me!

YUI: Hey... you're awfully suspicious, aren't you the only one with a gun around here?

SETTAN: Yep! The only one worthy enough to have one.

AKI: I don't think that's helping your case.

SETTAN: NooooooOOOOoooo!

AKI: Anyway, I can guarantee he wouldn't kill someone. Why not we check his revolver just to be sure?

[Settan hands over his pistol, and it was loaded with 6 rounds. All of them however, were still intact.]

SETTAN: There! See!

AKI: He has no other bullets other than the ones in the gun, so this proves he didn't fire those 7 rounds into Kyoshi. Furthermore, he only has 6 rounds, even if he did have more bullets, it wouldn't make sense for him to reload and fire off another shot.

YU: Unless he hated Kyoshi.

AKI: Unless he really hated Kyoshi.

YUKIKO: Anyway, the time of death was 10.01 PM, can you confirm that?

MINAKO: Given how dried up the blood is, I can say yes, that is correct.

YU: This means he died while everyone was sleeping… what was he doing here anyway?

KIN: Maybe he was performing to the plants. I would gladly have them as my audience anytime. Silent, yet so much more appreciative than some creatures…

TAMAKI: By any chance, are you talking about us?

KIN: No, not at all. Not at all.

AKI: What if this wasn't the scene of the crime?

KUNIE: There's no way, just look at the blood splatter behind the walls. This means that he was shot here. The dried up blood proves that as well.

YUKIKO: It says here he died while sleeping.

IWAO: Would it mean that someone killed him while he was asleep? I mean, that's tasteless…

MAKO: Unlike my home cooked food.

IWAO: You're making it hard for me to keep my drool to myself.

IWAO: Anyway, can I kinda bounce from here? The smell and all is getting to me.

AKI: It's best to stay in pairs, or even groups of three.

SETTAN: I'll accompany him then.

AKI: I'll follow too, I'm done with this area already.

[The 3 exited the greenhouse shoulder to shoulder.]

[So that was it for the Monokuma File, though on first glance it might have seemed less useful to me, it certainly helped me gather quite an understanding of how Kyoshi died.]

== Monokuma File No. 1 has been added as ammunition. (1)

YU: Is this a lock?

KUNIE: No, it's an airplane.

YU: … So I can assume that it was used to lock the shed?

MONOKUMA: Yes! I even bought this shed a new lock but some buggie went and broke it anyway… I remembered leaving the key around here somewhere…

[After a few minutes of searching, we deduced that the key was no longer here.]

MONOKUMA: All he left me was a broken lock to fix, what a bummer.

YU: If there wasn't a key in the first place, how would you or anyone else have opened the shed normally?

MONOKUMA: Maybe I did misplace it… Or did they not send it along with the lock?! I got cheated! How dreadful! Though this feeling of despair warms my heart so much! It's making my fur fuzzy!

YU: That made no sense. So the killer tried to lock the door forever on purpose knowing there wasn't a key? Was the reason to trap Kyoshi forever?

KUNIE: And someone else or the killer broke open the lock for some reason.

SHOKO: I think these might've been used to break the lock open.

[Shoko hands me a weed cutter, with obvious dents on where the sharp edges were supposed to be.]

YUKIKO: So who actually broke the lock open, and why? Was it the killer, or was it someone else?

KIN: It would be impossible for us to arrive at a conclusion at this point.

YU: Hm… it doesn't make sense for now but let me jot it down…

== Broken Lock has been added as ammunition. (2)

YUI: Hey, his ElectroID is missing!

YU: What? Did someone take it on purpose?

KUNIE: Seems that way. After all, I think it has something to do with the case.

KUNIE: Hey, did anyone here take it?

[Everyone looked blankly at her.]

KUNIE: Guess not.

KUNIE: Hey, Monokuma, did you withhold any evidence from us?

MONOKUMA: No way! A good bear always keeps his paws off dirty work like such! Nuh uh!

YU: Anyway, that ElectroID should be an important piece of evidence, we better find it before the killer disposes of it.

KUNIE: Let's hurry up and find it, I'm feeling tired again!

[As she finished her sentence she runs off to where I could only presume as what I had in mind as well.]

YU: The most logical place to dispose of it is... I think I know where it might be.

[Though it might've been already too late.]

…

Location: Cafeteria / Time: 8.56 AM

YUI: Iwao and his buddies!

KUNIE: Did you come here to search the garbage bin as well?

IWAO: Huh? It was only because I was starving after recalling how good last night's dinner was, so I came to get some snacks, and these 2 followed.

SETTAN: We were kinda hungry too.

AKI: I just didn't want to work on an empty stomach.

MAKO: I'm grateful, but don't think that's enough to get me to cook again.

[She did a quick curtsey.]

IWAO: Mako, do you always have to be so serious? It hurts me sometimes.

[He made a pained expression, only to be ignored.]

YU: Do any of you happen to have Kyoshi's ElectroID on you?

[The 3 patted themselves for a bit before replying.]

SETTAN: Nope.

AKI: Not that I know of.

IWAO: Uh… no?

YU: Sigh, I thought as well. So it must have been thrown away already.

YU: Monokuma, can we access the garbage point which this leads to?

[I pointed to the garbage collector on the wall.]

MONOKUMA: Huh?! You're asking for too much! That's my privacy and not yours for taking…

KUNIE: Pfffttt, privacy. Wasn't that something you denied us from the start?

MONOKUMA: Why you little…

MONOKUMA: I wouldn't normally accept this kind of sass from students but since it was just this one time I'll let it slide…

YU: Anyway, I think this has something to do with the case. Kyoshi's ElectroID might have been disposed of here.

MONOKUMA: Nrghh… I'm not saying anything else other than this but… it hasn't been disposed of yet. Okay, Zilch, Zip, Nada!

KIN: I guess you could say, it disappeared. A wonderful magic trick.

TAMAKI: Uh, I think it was along the lines of someone hiding it. Anyway, there isn't much time left before the trial, I think we should focus on investigating elsewhere rather than getting sidetracked.

YU: If the killer really meant to hide it it would mean we wouldn't find it that easily. Tamaki is right. Let's go investigate elsewhere.

== Missing ElectroID has been added as ammunition. (3)

[The rest stayed in the cafeteria to consume their breakfast before the trial, while me and Minako went to the Nurse's Office.]

…

Location: Nurse's Office / Time: 9.10 AM

MINAKO: Oh, oh. That's right.

MINAKO: I-I'm sorry, how could I have forgotten?

[She raised up a half full jar of pills for me to see.]

YU: Is there something wrong?

MINAKO: No. I mean y-yes! These are sleeping pills and over half of them are missing!

YU: You're right, but are you sure they were full yesterday? I can only vaguely remember checking some other containers…

MINAKO: I did check; they were missing since yesterday night, but I didn't have any time to ask around since Night Time was near and I didn't want to break any rules!

YU: What about this morning?

MINAKO: I-It completely slipped my mind, I-I'm sorry! Please don't blame me…

[She suddenly reverted to her passive behaviour, and it sort of startled me. Did she have some sort of multiple personality disorder?]

YU: I wasn't blaming you. Anyway, someone could have got hold of it anytime between yesterday afternoon and up till now...

MINAKO: My last routine was at 9.30 PM, so I think that's correct to assume…

YU: So it makes sense, they were taken during this time frame.

YU: But what could they have been used for?

== Missing Sleeping Pills has been added as ammunition. (4)

[I decided my next course of action was to investigate Kyoshi's room for his missing ElectroID. To my surprise, his door was left wide open.]

…

Location: Kyoshi's Room / Time: 9.30 AM

KANEKO: Missing ElectroID? It isn't here.

YU: How are you always one step ahead of me? And how did you get in here without his ID?

KANEKO: Talent.

YU: That's rich, coming from you to me…

KANEKO: Hmrrmhpfff.

YU: ?

KANEKO: Monokuma let me in, since I wanted to do some investigating inside.

YU: I see…

KANEKO: I asked Monokuma about the body discovery announcement earlier too.

YU: What about it?

KANEKO: He told me that it'd play after 3 people discover the body, not including the murderer.

YU: That made sense, since me, Hana and Keisuke were the first ones to discover Kyoshi dead.

KANEKO: As I thought…

[She

seemed to drift away for a while.]

KANEKO: Anyway, there's an important piece of evidence in this room. I left it there just for you.

YU: Thanks for the pity.

== Body Discovery Announcement has been added as ammunition. (5)

[She nodded and exited the room.]

[Now, where was this piece of important evidence? After looking around for a bit I saw a letter on the table.]

/Kyoshi, I have something to talk to you about. I know that you are aware of this as well, so please, meet me at the third prison cell from the left.

Don't bring anyone./

[?! Was this… a letter from the murderer? So the killer planned to kill Kyoshi from the start?]

== Letter to Kyoshi has been added as ammunition. (6)

[The third prison cell from the left… The letter brought me to my next location, where it all started for us, and fatefully where it all ended for Kyoshi once he met up with his assaliant. With heavy but quick steps, I breezed through the hallways to my destination.]

…

Location: Prison Cell #3 / Time : 9.45 AM

[Someone was already there by the time I arrived. I half expected it to be Kaneko, but it was someone else. Someone I wasn't all that friendly with, but even moreso for the rest of us… Shoko.]

SHOKO: Oh, it's you, Yu.

YU: Hey, what brings you here?

SHOKO: I saw Kaneko coming down earlier, so I assumed there was something important here as well.

[I gave him a wary look.]

SHOKO: Why, can't I do my own investigating? That's awfully biased of you.

YU: I-I didn't mean that, so don't put words into my mouth.

SHOKO: Your expression showed it all. Your distaste for me. I can't really complain much though, I deserve the treatment from everyone after the big hoo ha I made last night.

SHOKO: You can never wipe away a bad impression. Even though the opposite is so simple in comparison. Just one word will make someone appear hateful. Just doing one thing would make you seem hateful. That's why excuses are meaningless. Because even those excuses will make you look hateful...

YU: That's actually very true… anyway, we don't have much time left I think.

YU: Is there anything of importance down here that you found?

SHOKO: If there was any, Kaneko would have taken it, though I don't think she's the type to do such a thing. Nope, there's nothing much here. They probably just used this room to hold a private conversation.

YU: I see... What happened between you and Hana earlier?

SHOKO: Just a friendly conversation.

YU: I get your hint.

[I was still a little suspicious of Shoko, but after the talk, I decided it was just in his character to say so. At least that's what I hoped for.]

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"Attention you bastards, investigation time is over, so please gather in the hall by 10 AM!" The intercom system boomed. "Latecomers will be punished!"

"I guess we have to end our investigations here huh?" I grumbled for a bit. "I think I checked everything I wanted to, though there isn't much evidence to go on…"

"This is gonna be a live or die depending on how well we do…" Shoko said, while looking at his feet.

"We should hurry. I just want this all to be over and done with." I said, and started to make my way out of the cell.

"Yu."

"What…?"

"One last thing."

"Some people aren't as innocent as you think."

"What do you mean?" I asked, getting curious.

"As a person guilty of that, I can assure you of my words. So just please remember them during the trial."

I kept that in mind as we made our way hastily over to the hall. Where were we going to conduct the trial in the hall? I mean it made sense since there was so much space but how were we going to go about doing so?

"Looks like everyone has gathered for our much anticipated class trial, the climax of the century!" Monokuma screeched into the microphone. "So, how does it feel, Ultimates?"

"I feel like shit, thank you very much," Kunie said, with her eyes closed. "I can't even get some simple shut eye cause of all your crap."

Monokuma ignored her and continued.

"Gather up on stage everyone!"

"Are we going to have the trial here?" Kaneko asked.

"Just get up goddamnit!"

"If you all would get up faster, then this would all end earlier for you and me, it's a win win situation." Monokuma growled.

Keisuke and Hana were back with us, and Hana looked calmer than she was a while back. I felt relieved that Keisuke managed to talk some sense back into her.

After everyone gathered on stage, Monokuma told us to sit still, as the entire stage suddenly fell with us on it.

Yes, fell.

We were being brought deeper and deeper and eventually the moving came to a stop. Surprisingly, no one had anything to say during the short trip downwards. I think we were all feeling nervous about what was upcoming. After all, it affected our life and death. More importantly, it would determine whether Kyoshi got his justice done.

As we walked through a narrow pathway, we found ourselves in a modern courtroom, except that instead of the prosecution and defense's tables were 16 podium like tables for us to stand behind. They were arranged in a circle, and all of us took the stands according to our names. On one of them however, was a black and white portrait of Kyoshi and an 'X' on his face.

Was I going to be the next one there?

I shivered just thinking about it.

"So, it's time to begin the class trial!"

"Whether you all live by finding out the truth, or die by straying away from it, it's all up to you! Remember, Kyoshi is watching from the heavens…"

So, it has begun…

The class trial determining whether we would live, or die. More importantly, finding the truth behind the murder.

He died while sleeping, meaning he probably had many regrets. Such a death… can't be tolerated.

Kyoshi, this is for you.

(AN: Hope that didn't turn out too bad, actually put quite a bit of planning in this one. There might be a lot of uncertanties on some objects but that's what the class trial would be for.

Read on!) 


	5. Chapter 5

(AN: PLEASE READ! This is important information for the trial.

On the previous chapter, I missed out an extremely important detail. Please note that I have added Minako's autopsy, meaning that the point about Kyoshi's body having 7 entry, exit wounds and blood splatter across the wall will be added. You can re read the evidence list below to get what I'm saying. Sorry...

Anyway, the trials will also be in script format to make it look much neater.

Also, I'll be following the sequence of events from DR 1 and 2 which are the following:

|Nonstop Debate

|Epiphany Anagram

|Dive Drive

|Cross Swords

|Panic Talk Action

|Climatic Reasoning

I've been adding the soundtracks appropriate for situations but for this trial, it's even more important to keep a separate tab open for the OSTs as we'd be switching soundtracks quite a fair bit.

I apologise for taking so much from the original Dangan Ronpa series, but I'm here to say I don't own their soundtracks, nor their concepts.

The soundtracks we'd be using for this chapter are the following:

+Re_Trial Underground

+Discussion -BREAK- 2nd Mix

+Class Trial [Dawn Edition]

+Objection -CROSS SWORDS-

+Class Trial [Future Part]

+Discussion -HEAT UP- 2nd Mix

Sorry to ruin the party but the trial's gonna be split into 2 chapters.

P.S Do listen to the music while reading, it helps.

Seriously. ._.)

MONOKUMA: I'll give you one last minute to gather your thoughts.

MONOKUMA: I wouldn't want a lame ass trial where the killer escapes anyway… that would be extremely boring…

MONOKUMA: Your time starts now!

MONOKUMA: Geez… being a headmaster sure takes a lot of work…

==RAPID REVISION!==

Have you got your facts right?

:::1 | Monokuma File No. 1 | Review again?

|Victim: Dazai Kyoshi

|Cause of Death:

|Numerous bullet holes filled his body. Died from excessive blood loss and punctured organs.

|Time of Death:

|10.01 PM

|Additional Details:

|He was killed while sleeping.

:::2 | Minako's Autopsy | Minako's autopsy revealed that there were 7 entry and exit wounds on his body. There was also blood splatter on the wall behind the body, as well as a small pool of blood below.

:::3 | Broken Lock | The lock appeared to have been forced open by a weed cutter. It was found just outside the storage shed.

:::4 | Missing ElectroID | Kyoshi's ElectroID wasn't on his body. Where could it be?

:::5 | Missing Sleeping Pills | Minako noticed that over half of the sleeping pills in the Nurse's Office went missing last night.

:::6 | Body Discovery Announcement | The announcement only plays after 3 people discover the body, discluding the murderer.

:::7 | Letter to Kyoshi | A letter was found in Kyoshi's room, presumably from the killer. The killer requested to meet him alone at the prison cells for a talk.

...

CLASS TRIAL START!

ALL RISE!

...

MONOKUMA: Time's up!

MONOKUMA: That sure took a long while... I even gave everyone 5 extra seconds!

MONOKUMA: Now then, since this is your first class trial, I'll have the honour of being the gamemaster.

KEISUKE: Gamemaster...? You treating this shit like a game...?

MONOKUMA: Of course! What else could it be!

MONOKUMA: Someone murdered Kyoshi because they couldn't stand being locked in here with you bastards anymore...

MONOKUMA: It's just that simple.

KIN: Is one of us truly the killer? This wasn't staged by you... right?

MONOKUMA: No way! They don't call me the Ultimate Magician, they call me Monokuma for a reason!

MONOKUMA: M for Monokuma!

MAKO: More like M for murder.

SETTAN: That's… kinda ironic ya know? Haha…

SETTAN: Uhhhh… okay. Never mind…

MONOKUMA: Anyway, the first step to being a successful host is to provide clarity in my instructions.

MONOKUMA: So listen up you bastards, I'll only explain the simple rules of this class trial once.

MONOKUMA: In this class trial, you will present your arguments about the case.

MONOKUMA: This is where the evidence you worked so hard to find will come into play...

MONOKUMA: Afterwhich, you'll all vote for who you think is guilty.

MONOKUMA: Vote correctly and weed out the blackened, then he'll be punished!

MONOKUMA: Vote wrongly…

MONOKUMA: And all of you will be punished instead, giving the blackened a free one way ticket to graduation!

MONOKUMA: I can't wait to see what happens…! Puhuhuhu…

MONOKUMA: Let's begin!

AKI: I've been meaning to ask this from the start but…

AKI: Why is there a portrait of Kyoshi there?

MONOKUMA: Oh, you mean that? It's to help you all remember the victim!

YUKIKO: I don't recall us being that dense…

KUNIE: Monokuma, can I confirm something?

MONOKUMA: Another question?! Are you trying to weasel your way out of the trial by wasting time?

KUNIE: No. In fact, I'd be soooo much happier if it would end sooner.

KUNIE: Is there truly only one person responsible for Kyoshi's death?

MONOKUMA: Hm…

MONOKUMA: That's a good question!

MONOKUMA: Yes… there's no doubt that only one of you is guilty.

KANEKO: That was incredibly specific of you.

MONOKUMA: Really? Who knows?!

YUKIKO: Wouldn't it have been better for the person to go around killing everyone?

YUKIKO: If the killer wanted to escape, that would have been easier than letting us live and having this trial.

MONOKUMA: Oops.

MONOKUMA: Now that you mention it, that is indeed a flaw in my rules which I haven't addressed... Puhuhuhu!

MONOKUMA: Great job Yukiko, you deserve a Mono sticker!

YUKIKO: Can my reward be something else instead? Like a get out of school free card?

YUKIKO: Or some… priv-vate time? Hehe…

[Our ElectroIDs vibrated.]

#10: The guilty may only kill a maximum of two people during any stage of the game.

MONOKUMA: There ya go, I hope this frees up all of your worries, because we're starting the class trial NOW!

KANEKO: Two people…?

MONOKUMA: Exactly what it means!

MONOKUMA: Count with me…

MONOKUMA: One…

MONOKUMA: Two!

MONOKUMA: Sigh… can't you all see the endless possibilities surrounding a double murder in the future?

MONOKUMA: Double the despair, double the fun! NYAHAHAHAHHA!

KEISUKE: Enough with your shit… no one would murder anyone…

MONOKUMA: Well well well! Wasn't that what you said a day ago?

MONOKUMA: It's so ironic, it's laughable!

SHOKO: Our lives were in danger without this rule... all of ours….

MONOKUMA: But I had enough faith in you bastards that no one would be brave enough to do that!

MONOKUMA: I'm accepting no retarded questions from now onwards, cause you're all just trying to stall for time, aren't ya?

MONOKUMA: I've taken enough classes to know how you Ultimates think.

MONOKUMA: Now then, let's start the discussion!

YUI: What do you mean discussion? Can't we just proceed with the voting?

MINAKO: Y-Yui, I don't think it's a good idea to do that!

YUI: Why not? I mean, it's kinda obvious who the killer is at this point.

AKI: And who do you think it is...?

YUI: Why, your best buddy that you're trying so hard to defend of course!

TAMAKI: I shouldn't let relations get the better of me, but I think Yui is right this time.

IWAO: I... also agree with them. Sorry Settan, everything points to you.

IWAO: If you were this desperate to leave... you could have told me you know?

IWAO: I could have done something for you before you... decided to go off and kill someone.

SETTAN: Why is everyone against me?! It wasn't me! I swear on my title as the Ultimate Marksman.

SETTAN: I would never, I would never… kill anyone...

AKI: Iwao... Honestly, I thought better of you.

IWAO: Whaddya mean, he's obviously the murderer, ain't he? Stop trying to defend that excuse of a person!

IWAO: At this rate, he's gonna kill us all!

MAKO: Don't judge a book by it's cover... Indeed, it is something that can be applied universally to all walks of life.

SHOKO: Are you all retarded?

SHOKO: Do you even have any piece of evidence that points to him as the killer?

YUI: Duh, why else would I say he was the killer then?

YUI: Those bullet wounds in Kyoshi's chest...

TAMAKI: And the only person with a gun here...

YUI: They make it fairly reasonable for me to accuse Settan for the killing!

KIN: Oh... I see how it went now.

KIN: He prepared his pistol, shot Kyoshi and then locked him in the storage shed.

YUI: That's right!

YUI: Bangbangbangbangbangbangbang!

YUI: 7 bullets, just to be extra sure that Kyoshi was dead. Since you know, he was really huge. A single bullet might not have been enough... even the Four Dark Devas of Destruction would have had problems dealing with him!

(AN: Yea.)

AKI: Didn't I already mention how it was impossible for Settan to have fired 7 bullets? He only has 6 loaded, and no other rounds.

== Aki's Statement has been added as ammunition. (8)

SETTAN: Eh... That's right! You can even check my pistol if you don't believe Aki!

KUNIE: Couldn't the two of you have simply colluded...?

KUNIE: Aki's words aren't enough to prove Yui's theory wrong.

KUNIE: What we want to see is proof that Settan isn't the murderer.

SETTAN: I swear on my gun that I didn't kill anyone...

SETTAN: I would never...

YUI: So, Monokuma, can we start the vote now?

MONOKUMA: Woah, how surprising! This is the fastest class trial I've had thus far! I think you guys broke an all new record for solving a case!

KEISUKE: Now that I think about it...

KEISUKE: Yui, why are you so eager to deem Settan as the killer?

IWAO: That's because he's the only one who could have done it, moron.

KEISUKE: Who you calling a moron?

IWAO: Does it look like I'm talking to anyone else?

KEISUKE: Well, if I'm a moron, you're an entitled buffoon, aren't ya?

KEISUKE: Really, I'm glad we had this trial, because some people finally showed their true colours.

IWAO: T-True colours?! I was just being nice to everyone because I felt like you all deserved a bit of my stardom! THIS is what I get in return?

HANA: Please... stop fighting...

SETTAN: Yui, I don't know what's your problem

with me, but you were rather quick to jump to the gun.

SETTAN: Would you rather kill all of us and leave the true culprit alive?

YUI: No... but it's so simple for you to lie. How would I know whether you were telling the truth or not?

SETTAN: My honour as a Japanese soldier is what I'm offering to you.

SETTAN: I have never killed anyone before… even though I participated in numerous battles.

KANEKO: It's too early to decide on the culprit.

KANEKO: Settan, being the Ultimate Marksman, wouldn't resolve for such a messy murder right?

KANEKO: After all, precision is his speciality.

KANEKO: The fact that Monokuma was so eager for us to vote was suspicious as well.

SETTAN: Kaneko...

KANEKO: I'm just taking a more objective standpoint.

KANEKO: Why not we discuss other details of the murder before we jump to conclusions?

TAMAKI: Yui, why not we give him a chance?

YUI: ... Fine.

MINAKO: Y-Yui!

TAMAKI: ... Tch.

KANEKO: How Kyoshi died... It was strange that he took so many bullets in the first place.

KUNIE: Then, let's start with that. I don't think I can *yawn* hold out for longer...

YU: (Kaneko's right... Settan shouldn't be the killer, not by a long shot.)

YU: (We can go with that, but ultimately we have to decide whether Settan is truly the murderer...)

YU: (The reason he was shot seven times...)

YU: (I guess it's time to figure out exactly why!)

Nonstop Debate is about to begin. Statements in bold can be challenged, but like the game, there will only be ONE false statement. That statement will be denoted by these marks, "=", meaning that it'll look like this: =He had it the entire time!=.

Well then, please try your best to uncover the lies.

[PHASE ONE]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable Ammunition:

Monokuma File No. 1

Minako's Autopsy

Broken Lock

Aki's Statement

KANEKO: He was shot seven times...

KANEKO: But why exactly?

AKI: Settan wouldn't have had to use seven bullets.

IWAO: Because of his talent?...

IWAO: He might be using that to throw us off!

IWAO: He's a killer, through and through!

YUI: He simply wanted to confirm his prey was dead...

YUI: So he shot him like how he would for target practice!

KUNIE: Given his big stature...

KUNIE: He might not have died after the first shot.

TAMAKI: That's why Settan panicked...

TAMAKI: ...And =shot him another six times=!

YU: No, that's wrong!

YU: No, he couldn't have shot Kyoshi another six times.

TAMAKI: Huh? Why not?

YU: Didn't Aki already mention?

YU: Settan's revolver only has a maximum storage capacity of 6.

YUI: So...? He still could have finished him off as easily with one less shot!

YU: Following that logic, even if he panicked, the maximum number of shots he could have fired off was another 5.

KUNIE: ... This means that there was no reason for a seventh shot to be present, because the maximum amount of bullets Settan has is 6.

IWAO: Six shots, seven shots, aren't they all the same?

IWAO: Just hurry up and convict him already!

AKI: This is really unbecoming of you Iwao.

IWAO: S-Shut up! You're all trying to get us killed!

KIN: The seventh shot...

KIN: This reminds me of Russian Roulette...

KIN: Maybe they decided to hold a one for all with the revolver?

KIN: Winner take all.

TAMAKI: Oh, I see! So the winner gets to graduate.

MAKO: Wouldn't he have shot himself in the head if that were the case?

MAKO: What about him having those 6 other wounds then?

MINAKO: There were 7 wounds i-in total!

YUKIKO: But if the killer had no need for the seventh shot...

YUKIKO: Why was it even there in the first place?

KANEKO: Kyoshi was probably killed with all seven bullets simultaneously.

KEISUKE: Huh?! You think he was killed like that?

KANEKO: If Settan was indeed the one… wouldn't it have been easier for him to have gone for an instant kill?

SETTAN: Yea! I'm the Ultimate Marksman after all!

AKI: Hmm... maybe the killer had a grudge against him.

AKI: But wouldn't Kyoshi have put up a good fight too?

IWAO: Yea! That's why he struggled, and Settan had to murder him in a panic!

YU: (Is that… really what happened?)

For the sake of clarification, the following will be another Nonstop Debate. However, this time there will be statements you can agree with. These would be in bold, and italicised. At any one point of time, only ONE statement can be agreed/disagreed with, and they will be denoted by "=", as usual.

Puhuhuhu!

[PHASE TWO]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable ammunition:

Monokuma File No. 1

Missing Sleeping Pills

Letter to Kyoshi

Aki's Statement

KIN: Once Kyoshi sensed Settan's evil intentions…

KIN: He immediatedly put on his guard.

YUKIKO: Because of this, Settan had trouble against someone of a larger build.

TAMAKI: They fought for a while…

TAMAKI: Before Settan pulled out his revolver.

TAMAKI: And everything else is as we know.

HANA: A test of strength gone wrong…

HANA: Is that really the truth behind this case?

SHOKO: If you can't see it, let me spell it out for you.

SHOKO: =There was no struggle at all=!

YUI: Shut up, you fart faced loser!

YU: I concur!

YU: No, Shoko's right.

YU: Remember the Monokuma File closely.

Additional Details: He was killed while sleeping.

YU: Monokuma, this can be confirmed, right?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu…

MONOKUMA: As I mentioned earlier, I only provide my students with the best of services for their class trial!

MONOKUMA: I wouldn't lie about such a thing!

AKI: I see, there shouldn't have been a fight or struggle because Kyoshi was already asleep.

MINAKO: Yes!

MINAKO: On top of that, there were no other visible wounds inflicted upon Kyoshi…

MINAKO: So please don't doubt S-Settan!

KUNIE: While this proves that there wasn't a struggle between the two, it doesn't clear his name.

KUNIE: The possibility of Settan being the blackened still remains.

MONOKUMA: Kunie, you're learning well I see!

KUNIE: Upupupupu…

YU: (For some reason, I don't find it all that surprising for her to imitate Monokuma's laugh…)

YU: (Ngh, I can't get sidetracked like this…!)

KEISUKE: What the fuck are you guys doing…?

KEISUKE: We…

KEISUKE: Aren't we trying to find out the truth?

KEISUKE: If we continue blaming Settan, there's no way we'd get anywhere near it...

KANEKO: How about we talk more about the Monokuma File?

KANEKO: Wasn't it strange that he was sleeping outside his dorm?

KANEKO: There had to be a reason…

KANEKO: Right, Yu?

YU: (A reason… to sleep outside his dorm…?)

YU: (It's on the tip of my tongue…!)

[PHASE THREE]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable ammunition:

Broken Lock

Missing Sleeping Pills

Letter to Kyoshi

MAKO: Maybe he decided the shed was a better place to rest?

SETTAN: Or maybe he got tired out from all that weightlifting and bulking!

SETTAN: The heat might've gotten to him, you know?

YUKIKO: Kyoshi in heat…!

KEISUKE: Heat or not…

KEISUKE: I doubt it was that simple.

KUNIE: You're all just jealous of him…

KUNIE: Being a grown man…

KUNIE: He has matured and transcended to the point where he can sleep where ever or whenever he likes!

KUNIE: =There's no other reason=…

KUNIE: Why he would have slept outside the dorm!

YUKIKO: Don't tell me…

YUKIKO: Was he trying to get some alone time away for the camera?!

MINAKO: Eeep! T-That's…

MINAKO: Extremely disturbing!

YU: No, that's wrong!

YU: There is another possibility.

YU: (Am I on the right track…?)

YU: (No, I have to be. This is the only way.)

YU: (There's no time for hesitation!)

YU: What if someone made him sleep?

IWAO: HUH? Whaddya mean?

MINAKO: B-By any chance…

MINAKO: Are you referring to that?

YU: Last night, during Minako's inventory check, she noticed over half of the sleeping pills missing from the Nurse's Office.

YU: Is it possible that someone could have made Kyoshi consume them somehow?

KUNIE: Or more likely…

KUNIE: He could have been drugged, couldn't he?

MINAKO: Drugged?!

MINAKO: Who would use medicine for such a thing…!

MINAKO: It's unforgivable…

AKI: Uh, before you all go off speculating, I have something to say.

AKI: Mako was having insomnia, so I prescribed her some sleeping pills to help her sleep.

KANEKO: When was this?

AKI: It was before dinner, right Mako?

MAKO: Y-Yea. Before dinner… thereabout. I was having nightmares the night before because of the video…

YU: That makes sense, because Minako conducted a check in the afternoon and another one at night. The pills were taken during that period.

AKI: That's how it happened. I merely chose the appropriate medication for my patient.

KEISUKE: Wait a minute.

KEISUKE: Doesn't something just click here?

KEISUKE: Isn't it obvious who drugged Kyoshi and how they did it? It's even easier to guess than to do a handstand!

KUNIE: Yea, I'd point it out myself but I'm far too lazy to do so… *yawn*

YU: (Who did it…? And how could Kyoshi have been drugged...? How...?)

YU: (It's faint, but I'm sure of it…)

This is an Ephiphany Anagram. Try to solve the word before Yu does. Try not to scroll too fast or you'll end up seeing everything.

[PHASE FOUR]

Ephiphany Anagram!

_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

…

…

…

_/ _/ _/N/ _/ _/

…

…

…

_/I/ _/N/ _/ _/

…

…

…

_/I/ _/N/E/ _/

…

…

…

_/I/ _/N/E/R

…

…

…

D/I/ _/N/E/R

…

…

…

D/I/N/N/E/R

Dinner!

YU: This is it!

YU: Mako… weren't you the one that cooked for us last night?

MAKO: Uh… yea!

YU: You had the sleeping pills before that too…

YU: Wouldn't it make it easy for you to let's say, drug someone's food?

MAKO: H-Huh?! No!

MAKO: I didn't drug Kyoshi!

MAKO: A half breed American Japanese won't do no such thing!

IWAO: Stop picking on her, it's obviously a coincidence...!

SETTAN: Awfully biased here, aren't we?

IWAO: That's because you're the guilty one here!

YUKIKO: It's only natural for a girl to have problems sleeping if she was put in such a situation.

YUKIKO: I can… testify for that.

YU: (But still… everything seems too coincidental.)

IWAO: I'll kick out your assumptions!

IWAO:

Mako isn't in the wrong here, all you've been making are empty accusations.

YU: H-Huh?

YU: But the sequence of events does match up if you think about it.

IWAO: So what? If she said those pills were for herself then so be it!

IWAO: She's just a girl!

YU: (I don't think Mako killed Kyoshi…)

YU: (But in order for us to progress, I'll have to knock some sense into Iwao!)

Hello again. At times like these, some people may have trouble believing your theories. As such, a rebuttal showdown is born.

[PHASE FIVE]

Cross Swords!

Usable Blades:

Monokuma File No. 1

Missing Sleeping Pills

Aki's Statement

You're wr==/==ong! She just had trouble sleeping!

You're way ou==/==tta your league!

Why can't you un==/==derstand?

Don't you s==/==ee what I'm saying?!

She does==/==n't have a weapon.

…

DEVELOPMENT

YU: She doesn't, but it's still highly plausible she drugged Kyoshi.

Oh ye==/==ah?! Tell me why?

See, you c==/==an't huh?

She just cooked for every==/==one because she meant well!

She didn't have any chance to drug anyone!

YU: Allow me to cut through those words!

YU: Iwao…

YU: Though hard for all of us to believe, Mako was the only one capable of doing that.

YU: Think about it...

YU: Unless someone else had offered Kyoshi a drink or food, there's no way he would have been drugged.

YU: The timeline of events also make sense if we think about it this way.

KEISUKE: No one offered him anything. Right Hana?

HANA: Y-Yea… we were sitting at the same table so we would know.

IWAO: Nggh…

IWAO: Fine, I get your point. But similar to how we let Settan off temporarily, shouldn't Mako be off the hook too? For now…

IWAO: I mean… There's no solid evidence that proves that she drugged Kyoshi.

KIN: Hm? I guess you're right. It is not us but evidence who will decide the acts of the performance.

KUNIE: Yes, *yawn* it does make sense.

KANEKO: Yu, if you think about what you just said, you would realise that you have made an error.

YU: An error…? How?

KANEKO: I'm sure you can figure it out yourself.

YU: (Was I on the wrong path…?)

YU: (Argh… I have to think about this clearly.)

YU: (Whether Mako could have drugged Kyoshi… this is extremely vital to the case!)

You are about to read a Dive Drive. Yu must answer a series of questions to decide whether he was right or wrong. Can you figure it out? Hopefully so.

[PHASE SIX]

Dive Drive!

QUESTION #1: When did Mako get the sleeping pills?

A: When Monokuma brought us to the AV Room. B: Before Dinner. C: Just this morning.

…

…

…

QUESTION #2: What could she have used it on?

A: Plates. B: Kyoshi's weights. C: Food and drinks.

…

…

…

QUESTION #3: Why isn't it possible for the food and drinks to have been drugged?

A: She didn't drug him, she knocked him out. B: Everyone ate from the same pile of food. C: Kyoshi had no appetite.

CLEAR!

YU: I've connected the dots!

YU: No… I was wrong.

YU: There was no way for the food or drinks to have been drugged.

IWAO: See, I told ya!

TAMAKI: Shush, won't you?

TAMAKI: You're noisier than the children I handle at playschool!

YU: Remember how the food was served.

YUI: It was served on the table, right? It reminded me of those meals I never had with my parents!

MAKO: I arranged it buffet style for everyone. So that it would be easier for the pickier ones…

KIN: Ah yes, I do recall queuing for the food at the start.

YUKIKO: Took quite a while too…

YUI: So… what? Are you just insinuating that I had a bad childhood? Huh?!

YU: N-no! Don't you see?

YU: If the food was indeed drugged…

YU: Wouldn't everyone else have fallen asleep too?

KUNIE: That… would have been dreamy…

YUI: Oh… that's what you were trying to say.

YUI: Why not just say it straight instead of beating around the bush?

YUKIKO: Hehe… beating around the bush…

YU: (Yui… Sigh.)

MINAKO: So there wasn't a mishandling of drugs? Phew…

SETTAN: That's what you were worried about?!

KANEKO: But like Settan's case, we can never be truly sure whether Mako is guilty or not.

KANEKO: After all, she was the only one who had sleeping pills in her possession, assuming that no one else took the pills.

MINAKO: There was n-no way for anyone to take pills!

YU: Why so?

AKI: The sleeping pills… were labelled with a scientific name. That's what you're trying to bring up, right?

AKI: There was no way for anyone else to have known… other than me and Minako.

AKI: Even though I might be a psychiatrist…

AKI: I have a medical degree as well.

KANEKO: So it's only natural for you to have knowledge of those pills.

IWAO: Yea, yea, all you're trying to say is that you're in the clear, right?

YU: That's enough, Iwao.

YU: (So Mako and Settan are both still suspicious… for now.)

MAKO: Ah… Watashi wa chodo omoidashita! (I just remembered something important!)

YU: (What?)

MAKO: But… I don't know whether it would be of any use.

TAMAKI: What is it, dearie?

MAKO: I was in the cafeteria alone the entire time, washing up and preparing ingredients for tomorrow.

MAKO: But I didn't see Kyoshi! There was no way for me and him to have met.

MAKO: The murder took place at the shed anyway, so how could I have done it?

SHOKO: Heh. Nice try.

MAKO: What?

SHOKO: I said, nice try.

SHOKO: Minako, would you care to enlighten us on what you told me earlier?

MINAKO: What? Uhm what I told you... Uhm… Oh!

MINAKO: Don't hate me for this!

YU: What is it?

MINAKO: I was in the Nurse's Office the entire time after dinner…

MINAKO: So I remember who passed me and whatnot.

MINAKO: Shortly after, Kyoshi came by and told me about his plans for the night.

MINAKO: If I recall…

MINAKO: He was heading to the cafeteria to get some snacks because he was still hungry.

MINAKO: Then, no one else passed other than Hana, who finished her practice in the music room and was going to bed…

MINAKO: That was around 9.30 PM, when I just about ended my checks, and we headed to our rooms together.

MINAKO: S-So, wouldn't that mean that you definitely would have seen Kyoshi since you were in the cafeteria the entire time?

== Minako's Account has been added as ammunition. (9)

MAKO: Eh?! I really didn't see anyone!

MAKO: I was alone cleaning up and prepping till 9.55 PM!

KEISUKE: Your word against Minako's…

KEISUKE: If that was the case… you could have knocked him out and murdered him there and then.

KEISUKE: Hehe… you just dug your own grave, Mako.

YU: (Is that… right?)

YU: (I don't think either of them would lie… but both statements don't add up.)

YU: (So… one statement has to be false!)

Make A Choice!

MINAKO'S

MAKO'S

YU: This is it!

YU: Though I don't believe either one of you are lying…

YU: Minako, can you be sure of what Kyoshi said?

MINAKO: Y-yes! Or are you doubting me?!

YU: H-hey! Relax. I was just confirming with you.

TAMAKI: If neither one is lying… then can someone's statement be false because the person's judgement was misled?

KANEKO: You're right.

KANEKO: There is evidence to prove Minako's statement wrong.

MINAKO: I'm not l-lying!

YU: (Evidence to prove Minako wrong...?)

YU: (Is THAT what she means?)

[PHASE SEVEN]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable Ammunition:

Broken Lock

Missing Sleeping Pills

Letter to Kyoshi

Minako's Account

AKI: Evidence to prove her wrong…

AKI: Do we really have such a thing?

IWAO: Why would we need to prove her wrong…

IWAO: If she's speaking the truth?!

MAKO: She probably got confused…

MAKO: Because Kyoshi spoke in a different language…

MAKO: So she misheard what he said!

KANEKO: Rather than hearing the wrong thing…

KANEKO: Wouldn't it have been more probable that =Kyoshi didn't tell the truth=?

KUNIE: Kyoshi wanted to eat is all…

KUNIE: Like how all I need is some rest…

YU: I concur!

YU: Minako… I think you were told a lie.

MINAKO: H-Huh? Kyoshi would never lie!

YU: Sorry… but there's indeed a piece of evidence that suggests otherwise.

YU: As you can see stated clearly from this letter… the killer, presumably, asked for Kyoshi to meet him or her alone at the prison cells to have a private conversation.

HANA: Which is why he lied to Minako… I see…

MAKO: See?! No one entered the cafeteria, mates!

MINAKO: I-I'm soooooorrrrryyyy!

MINAKO: I didn't know Kyoshi was such a person…

KANEKO: But he did have a good reason to do so.

KANEKO: He was clearly told to go alone, meaning it was something important that he wouldn't have wanted anyone else to know about as well.

TAMAKI: Something he didn't want anyone else to know…

MINAKO: N-Not that again!

MINAKO: Please stop! My heart ca-can't handle this anymore!

SETTAN: This is kinda awkward…

KUNIE: I'm pretty sure you're both thinking about waaaay different things…

KUNIE: Anyhoo, so the killer wrote the letter to bait Kyoshi into the prison cell alone…

YUI: Then, BAM! Kyoshi was offed instantly.

YUI: Afterwhich, the killer carried his body all the way to the greenhouse, where they did the deed.

MINAKO: T-The deed?!

AKI: Didn't we already confirm the scene of crime to be the shed?

YUI: Huh? Come again?

KEISUKE: The blood splatters and the pool of blood…

SHOKO: We already went over this before, there's no need to repeat it to someone who doesn't even bother following the argument.

YUI: Sorry...

TAMAKI: Watch your mouth, or I'll give it a good sewing right now.

SHOKO: Come at me will ya?

SHOKO: Think I'm scared?

SHOKO: If you're only capable of inhaling and spitting air out, wouldn't an air conditioner be much more useful? At least the only detriment then is that you'd be contributing to global warming!

TAMAKI: W-Why you…!

MONOKUMA: Nyahahaha! This is first class banter right here, live in the flesh!

MONOKUMA: I wonder when was the last time I enjoyed myself so much!

KIN: But where was Kyoshi killed without a shadow of doubt?

YU: (Come to think of it…)

YU: (It sounds plausible that he might have been killed in a different location…)

YU: (Ngh! There are way too many inconsistencies

surrounding this case.)

YU: (I could intepret it this way… but actually…)

YU: (No, I wouldn't have known exactly what happened…!)

SHOKO: Knocking Kyoshi out, writing the letter, even the murder weapon…

SHOKO: All these are mysteries we have yet to solve.

SHOKO: What a shame, anyone could have done any of that.

KEISUKE: W-What are you insinuating?

YUKIKO: In-See-Nu-Eh-Thing?

KUNIE: What he means is…

KUNIE: After all this time, we haven't made any progress!

YUKIKO: So that was what he was insinuating…

SETTAN: You were rather quick on the pick up… huh?… Haha…

YU: Is there really no other line of logic we can follow?

KANEKO: …

SHOKO: An Ultimate Sleuth can only do so much you know…

SHOKO: Not even she knows where to go from here!

YU: Tch…

MONOKUMA: Stuck, aren't we? Puhuhuhuhu!

MONOKUMA: Time's a ticking….!

MONOKUMA: Tick, tock…

MONOKUMA: Ooooh! Can't you just feel the despair trickling in?!

KUNIE: How boring.

[Kunie flips open her ElectroID.]

KUNIE: Gah, it's 11.15 AM already! It's wayyyyy past my afternoon naptime schedule…

YU: (That's it!)

YU: There's still one more thing we haven't discussed…!

YU: Right, Kunie?

KUNIE: Zzz….

YU: (?! Don't ignore me like that…!)

YU: Remember the state of the body when we found it. Something that Kyoshi should have had wasn't in his possession.

Present your evidence:

Monokuma File No. 1

Broken Lock

Missing ElectroID

YU: This is it!

YU: His ElectroID… was missing.

MONOKUMA: That's extremely careless of him! How could he have lost such a precious personal gift from his headmaster…

MONOKUMA: No wonder he was killed, he deserved it!

AKI: Now that you mention it… I do recall you asking us about it.

SETTAN: Yea… we even checked ourselves for his ID.

IWAO: Alright, everyone, fess up your IDs!

IWAO: C'mon?! The killer might have it on them, right?

IWAO: Here, check mine first Yu!

[Iwao forcefully passes me his ElectroID. No doubt it was his. It had his face and his name. Satoya Iwao.]

YU: Do we really have to check everyone's ID?

IWAO: Hurry up and pass your IDs along, we're wasting time…!

KEISUKE: I'd hate to break it to ya, but wouldn't it have been easier for the killer to have disposed of the ID?

YUKIKO: Monokuma mentioned that the ID hadn't been disposed of yet when we tried to gain access to the rubbish dump.

KEISUKE: But wouldn't it have been easier for the killer to have hid it?

KEISUKE: Besides, who's stupid enough to give Yu Kyoshi's ID instead of their own if they really did have it?

TAMAKI: I don't know, maybe Minako?

MINAKO: I-I'm not stupid!

TAMAKI: I-I'm not stooooopid!

SETTAN: You ought to act more like… a babysitter you know? Ha..ha…

KANEKO: Monokuma, is it possible to conduct a full body search on everyone here?

KANEKO: There is a high chance that it might be on the culprit… if I'm not mistaken.

MONOKUMA: Hmm… if it would make things more fun, why not?

MONOKUMA: You have my permission!

MONOKUMA: Anyone who resists will face the fury of my wrath! Hiiiyah! Kung Fu Monokuma!

SHOKO: Hahahaha.

SHOKO: AHAHAHAHAHHA!

IWAO: W-What? You're scaring me… His joke wasn't all that funny!

SHOKO: That would be unnecessary…

SHOKO: Because I have his ElectroID right here.

KIN: Wu-wu-wu-W-What?! Impossible. What sorcery did you use to summon that item from the skies?!

SHOKO: Here, Yu.

YU: This is… clearly… Kyoshi's ID.

IWAO: S-Shoko?! So you're the killer, huh?

MAKO: Why did you have his ElectroID…?

SHOKO: Before you jump to conclusions, why not you look at this?

[Shoko showed us a picture on the ID. A brown haired girl was shoving a girl who looked like Hana into a school locker. Hana looked relatively younger.]

== Kyoshi's ElectroID has been added as ammunition. (10)

HANA: This…!

SHOKO: So? Care to explain?

HANA: K-Kyoshi… H-he… I….

SHOKO: Loss for words? Do you need me to explain it to the rest?

SHOKO: Cat got your tongue?

SHOKO: Rather, Monokuma got your tongue?

SHOKO: Hey, c'mon, speak up!

YU: Shoko… give her some time.

SHOKO: I sure hope you haven't forgotten what I said.

YU: (Was this what he meant…? He had the ID before this, meaning he knew that Hana might have had some relation to the case!)

YU: Let's hear what she has to say first, at least.

SHOKO: Oh, Hana…

HANA: …

SHOKO: Nothing, huh? Why not you hand over your ElectroID?

HANA: N-no!

YUI: Huh?! Why does she have to do that?

YUKIKO: That's an unlawful invasion of privacy!

MINAKO: That's extremely, extremely embarassing…!

SHOKO: If there truly was nothing inside her ID, why would she hesitate?

YU: Hana…? There shouldn't be a problem… right?

KEISUKE: N-No… this is just wrong!

SHOKO: Stop with the white knight act, will ya?

SHOKO: I admire your efforts, but if she continues on like this, it wouldn't reflect well on her… you know?

KEISUKE: You fuckin-

HANA: Here…

KEISUKE: H-Hana?

[Reluctantly, she hands over her ElectroID.]

YU: …?!

[On the same tab in her ID, was a photo of Kyoshi, his parents, and the girl from the earlier photo. They all looked quite happy.]

== Hana's ElectroID has been added as ammunition. (11)

TAMAKI: Is it me or wasn't the girl bullying Hana the same as the one in this picture?

MAKO: You're right… If so, wouldn't that mean…

MAKO: That it was Kyoshi's sister who was bullying Hana?

MINAKO: I-Is that true, Hana?

HANA: …

SHOKO: Silence means consent! There you have it.

SHOKO: Doesn't this make for a good motive?

AKI: When… did they receive this though?

MONOKUMA: You bastards can't recall?

MONOKUMA: Don't you remember me gathering everyone yesterday morning?

KANEKO: So not everyone received something from that… only Hana and Kyoshi.

KANEKO: But neither of them voiced it out.

MONOKUMA: Nyahahaha! That's 100% correct!

SHOKO: Hana, you murdered Kyoshi, didn't you?

KEISUKE: You're really pissing me off Shoko, so what if she was bullied by Kyoshi's sister?

SHOKO: Wouldn't she have an immense amount of hatred for the injustice she suffered…

SHOKO: And yearn to have some indirect revenge?

KEISUKE: No, Hana isn't that sort of person!

KEISUKE: She isn't the killer!

[PHASE EIGHT]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable Ammunition:

Monokuma File No. 1

Broken Lock

Body Discovery Announcement

Letter to Kyoshi

Minako's Account

KEISUKE: How could she have fought Kyoshi then? A petite girl against a bulk of muscles, how could she have won?

KEISUKE: Just look at the difference in size!

KEISUKE: Furthermore, she didn't have access to those sleeping pills!

KEISUKE: Y-yea… that's right…

KEISUKE: There isn't even a murder weapon right now!

KEISUKE: How could you begin to accuse Hana?!

SHOKO: All those things you mentioned…

SHOKO: Aren't they irrelevant?

SHOKO: Doesn't =something seem strange about Kyoshi's death= in the first place?

KEISUKE: To hell with that!

KEISUKE: All that's strange is you!

YU: I concur!

YU: Now that Shoko mentioned it…

YU: Look at the time of death on the Monokuma File.

Time of Death: 10.01 PM

YU: Doesn't it seem too… orchestrated?

KANEKO: The timing does seem a little precise…

KANEKO: Just one minute after Night Time.

KANEKO: If it was Night Time… no one should have been outside of their rooms, even Kyoshi.

YU: (…!)

SHOKO: That look on your face… are you perhaps on to something, Yu?

YU: It's just a hunch, but…

YU: (Clearly, this is what happened.)

YU: (It's in direct opposition to the rules…)

YU: (But wouldn't that mean…?!)

YU: The murder weapon was something no one could have gotten hold of, assuming Aki's statement holds true…

YU: In that case… the only person who could have had access to such a weapon was…!

Select someone!

HIDEKI YU

FUSHIEDA MINAKO

ASAI KIN

SHIMAMURA KEISUKE

SEYAMA KUNIE

TAKASU KANEKO

MONOKUMA

OUSHIMA MAKO

DAZAI KYOSHI

OGYU AKI

KITAMURA SHOKO

TAKARA HANA

TAKEKAWA YUKIKO

INABA TAMAKI

KOIKE YUI

EKIGUCHI SETTAN

SATOYA IWAO

YU: You're the only one!

YU: Monokuma… it was you… wasn't it?!

(AN: Hold up a second, I know what you're thinking.

"So the murderer was Monokuma?"

I'll leave you to think about that… Anyways, sorry to leave this chapter on another cliffhanger! I found it quite appropriate stopping here to maintain the good pace. If you have any questions about the trial, or any guesses you want to make, I would be glad to receive PMs for either.

On a side note, criticism really does help, so if you find that there's anything at all I can improve on, please point it out for me… or my writing will stay quite the shitty one.

Till next time!) 


	6. Chapter 6

(AN: Welcome back to the 2nd part of the trial!

My deepest, sincerest apologies to all you readers out there. Last chapter, I actually had a friend of mine make a layout of the first floor so that you can visualise what Minako's Account better but yet again… I forgot to include it. I've updated the previous chapter with the URL, and I'll link it here as well, to let you get the bigger picture.

I actually also took away the PTA, and replaced it with something else… you'll see.

Map of 1st Floor:

The soundtracks we'd be using for this chapter are the following:

+Class Trial [Dawn Edition]

+Objection -CROSS SWORDS-

+Class Trial [Future Part]

+Class Trial (Odd Edition)

+Discussion -HEAT UP- 2nd Mix

+Heartful Cry

+Re_ Climatic Return

Soundtracks.

Listen.

I mean it.)

==RAPID REVISION!==

:::1 | Monokuma File No. 1 | Review again?

|Victim: Dazai Kyoshi

|Cause of Death:

|Numerous bullet holes filled his body. Died from excessive blood loss and punctured organs.

|Time of Death:

|10.01 PM

|Additional Details:

|He was killed while sleeping.

:::2 | Minako's Autopsy | Minako's autopsy revealed that there were 7 entry and exit wounds on his body. There was also blood splatter on the wall behind the body, as well as a small pool of blood below.

:::3 | Broken Lock | The lock appeared to have been forced open by a weed cutter. It was found just outside the storage shed.

:::4 | Missing ElectroID | Kyoshi's ElectroID wasn't on his body. Where could it be?

:::5 | Missing Sleeping Pills | Minako noticed that over half of the sleeping pills in the Nurse's Office went missing last night.

:::6 | Body Discovery Announcement | The announcement only plays after 3 people discover the body, discluding the murderer.

:::7 | Letter to Kyoshi | A letter was found in Kyoshi's room, presumably from the killer. The killer requested to meet him alone at the prison cells for a talk.

:::8 | Aki's Statement | Settan's revolver only holds 6 live rounds, and he has no other bullets on hand.

:::9 | Minako's Account | Kyoshi said he was heading to the cafeteria for snacks at around 8.30 PM. Minako saw no one else passing the hallway until 9.30 PM, when she just finished her checks. Hana bumped into her around the same time.

:::10 | Kyoshi's ElectroID | Shoko had it the whole time. There's a picture of Hana getting bullied into a locker by Kyoshi's sister.

:::11 | Hana's ElectroID | There's a picture of Kyoshi's family apparently, and the same girl we saw bullying Hana is hugging Kyoshi.

MONOKUMA: Hey you fanfiction imbeciles!

MONOKUMA: We're gonna have an insanely quick recap for the sake of everyone…!

MONOKUMA: Last time on the Monokuma Class Trial, we established that Mako and Settan might have had something to do with the case…

MONOKUMA: But little did we know, both line of arguments seemingly came to a dead end!

MONOKUMA: However, our saviour, Shoko, revealed that he had Kyoshi's ElectroID, with a very suspicious picture of Hana getting stuffed into a locker by a random ass girl.

MONOKUMA: Eventually, Hana coughed up her E-ID as well, and we now know that the girl bullying Hana was Kyoshi's sister!

MONOKUMA: Then that talent-less brat Yu pointed me out as the one who murdered Kyoshi!

MONOKUMA: How terrible!

MONOKUMA: But what could this all mean…?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu… let's find out, shall we?

YU: Monokuma… it was you… wasn't it?!

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: Huh?! What?! What's it this time round?!

YUKIKO: M-Monokuma's the killer?! Is that true…?

MONOKUMA: W-What nonsense are you blabbering on about?

MONOKUMA: For a headmaster to kill his student…

MONOKUMA: There's just no way I would do such a thing!

YU: Of course, that's only my assumption… so feel free to speak for yourself.

MONOKUMA: And it's empty like a jar of honey once I'm done with it!

MONOKUMA: Why am I getting told off by a student…! Have I degraded my beary self this much?!  
YU: Because… no one here could have had such a weapon to begin with.

KUNIE: If we were talking knives or poison… then perhaps there would have been room for argument.

KUNIE: But if Aki didn't lie… and Settan only has 6 bullets in his pistol with none on his person…

KUNIE: Then wouldn't it mean the only one capable of possessing such a weapon was you, and only you?

SETTAN: For the last time, I only have 6 bullets loaded! Goddamnit…

AKI: Even if my words do not hold, I believe it would be right to pursue this line of logic for now.

MONOKUMA: Is that the only reason you're treating me like the blackened?

MONOKUMA: How beary, beary cruel…!

KEISUKE: So Monokuma was the one who killed Kyoshi?

YU: Yes… that seems to be the case.

MONOKUMA: I'll rip you to bite sized pieces!

MONOKUMA: GRRRR, I didn't kill Kyoshi!

YU: H-Huh?

MONOKUMA: I'd much rather spend my time reminiscing about the good, old times when despair reigned supreme…

MONOKUMA: But if you keep insisting that your headmaster broke the rules then sure!

MONOKUMA: But do note that there'll be a price to pay by the end of this, and it's one that you can't afford…!

YU: (Monokuma… enough of your fun and games.)

YU: (If I have to force it out of you… then you leave me with no choice!)

[PHASE NINE]

Cross Swords!

Usable Blades:

Broken Lock

Missing Sleeping Pills

Minako's Account

Kyoshi's ElectroID

MONOKUMA: I'll have you know I'm the great==/==est headmaster you can ever find!

MONOKUMA: Don't go against yo==/==ur superiors!

MONOKUMA: Do I look like a mur==/==derer?

MONOKUMA: Kyoshi wasn't kil==/==led by me, it was by one of you!

MONOKUMA: Where's the murder wea==/==pon then?

DEVELOPMENT

YU: The murder weapon should be a gun… but what type I'm not really sure.

YU: But that doesn't mean you wouldn't, because none of us had access to such a weapon!

MONOKUMA: I don't carry around ran==/==dom guns with me!

MONOKUMA: I'll have you know I'm a la==/==w abiding peace keeper.

MONOKUMA: Why would I have any==/==thing to do with Kyoshi?

MONOKUMA: It's not like he did wrong…

YU: Allow me to cut through those words!

YU: Monokuma… it seems that you've forgotten.

YU: Or are you just pretending to?

MONOKUMA: Shimshackywakalawang!

YUI: Can't you hear the tone in his voice? He's definitely lying!

YU: Look at this ElectroID.

MONOKUMA: It's a very well made piece of technology, isn't it?

MONOKUMA: Why are you showing me Kyoshi's ElectroID anyway?

YU: W-Well, it's more convenient.

YU: Anyway, look here, under the rules tab.

#2: Night Time is from 10pm to 7am. Some areas are off limits, so exercise some caution. Water will also not work during this period of time.

YU: If Kyoshi wasn't in his room at that period of time… wouldn't that mean he broke the rules?

MONOKUMA: Puhuhuhu… NYAHAHAHAH!

MONOKUMA: Fine...

MONOKUMA: Exactly, Yu. And we all know what happens when we break the rules don't we?

MINAKO: P-Punishment time…?

MONOKUMA: Ding ding! We have a winner!

MINAKO: Hyahhh!

MONOKUMA: Those that broke the rules will be and have been punished accordingly.

MONOKUMA: Didn't I make it clear enough? It was his fault for not paying attention.

MONOKUMA: Those are just the simple guidelines of the school to follow, which I guess a simpleton like him failed to do…

SETTAN: N-No way… so Monokuma's the murderer?

YUKIKO: Even though you were just so adamant about being innocent…!

KIN: What a turn of events… to think that we were lied to all this while.

MINAKO: B-but… what did he use as the weapon?

KANEKO: If that was indeed the case…

KANEKO: Then the murder weapon, is something we have seen before, right?

AKI: For some reason… I don't recall anything that could have shot bullets apart from Settan's revolver…

AKI: Was there really such a thing?

YU: (The only thing that could be the murder weapon…)

YU: (This is the only possibility!)

ANSWER THE QUESTION!

Settan's revolver.

Automated gun which shot Keisuke and Shoko.

Carrot sticks.

YU: The gun which shot Keisuke and Shoko.

MAKO: Are you sure?

MAKO: Didn't the gun shoot out fake bullets?

TAMAKI: *sniggles*

TAMAKI: The only thing it shot at was your own foot, not Kyoshi.

SETTAN: Ha. Ha. Ha.

YU: No, think about it this way.

YU: Why would there have been a gun in the hall's ceiling?

YUI: Well, it was obviously there to make sure that both Keisuke and Shoko could have a fair share of the Monokuma stickers!

YUI: Didn't you see them fighting to get shot by the sticker pellets? It was so funny!

MINAKO: That clearly wasn't what h-happened!

YU: If it was capable of shooting out sticker pellets…

YU: Then could it also mean that real bullets wouldn't be a problem as well?

YU: Additionally, didn't you see how fast they travelled?

SETTAN: A-ffirm!

SETTAN: Given the travel speed and trajectory of the pellets, it isn't impossible for the gun to work with real bullets as well.

SHOKO: I sustained minor injuries… so Settan must be right.

SHOKO: Here, look.

[Shoko raises up his arm to reveal several spots which were bluish black in colour.]

MINAKO: Shoko! Do you require any treatment right now?!

TAMAKI: I'm sure he's fine. What're you getting all worked up for?

TAMAKI: Not everyone's a crybaby who can't handle small bruises, you know?

MINAKO: B-But…

SHOKO: It's fine. They don't hurt all that much.

KANEKO: So if the pellets were replaced by Monokuma, wouldn't it have been possible for it to act as a machine-gun of sorts?

KANEKO: So if the pellets were replaced by Monokuma, wouldn't it have been possible for it to act as a machinegun of sorts?

KANEKO: Kyoshi could have been punished…

KANEKO: Yes, just like that.

MAKO: But why would the ceiling gun be in the storage shed? Wasn't it in the hall?

IWAO: Did he move the guns around or something?

MAKO: Arghhhh! This is so confusing!

YU: (Did Monokuma swap the locations of the guns…?)

YU: (No… something seems off.)

YU: (We have to focus, and think clearly!)

[PHASE TEN]

Dive Drive!

QUESTION

#1: Why did Monokuma shoot sticker pellets at Shoko?

A: To make himself feel better. B: To demonstrate how much power he had over us. C: He had too many extra stickers for himself.

…

…

…

QUESTION #2: What could be the true purpose of the gun?

A: To make sure rule-breakers were duly punished. B: To ensure that everyone could have gotten their fair share of Monokuma stickers. C: To scare off people from Kyoshi's body.

…

…

…

QUESTION #3: Why would there be a gun in the storage shed?

A: Because there were plants to be protected. B: No one was to enter without permission. C: There should be a gun in every room.

CLEAR!

YU: I've connected the dots!

YU: No, Monokuma couldn't have swapped the locations of the gun.

YU: Rather, he didn't have to.

YUI: Why not?

YUI: I'm pretty sure even Kyoshi could have done it.

YU: Initially, I thought that the gun was just for shooting those sticker pellets.

YU: But recall how we felt when we witnessed the 2 getting shot by the gun.

MINAKO: We were all afraid… that they were in danger!

KUNIE: The true purpose of the gun…

KUNIE: Are you saying it was a threat to make us obey the rules?

YU: The gun… it's to punish rule-breakers, right Monokuma?

MONOKUMA: What else could it have been?

MONOKUMA: I sure reeled in a dumb batch of Ultimates this time round, haven't I?

YU: So, wouldn't it make sense if he had one prepared in every room?

YU: In case we tried to break the rules, he would be able to act instantly, and punish us for it.

HANA: So all this time…

HANA: He's been spying on us to prevent us from breaking the rules?

SETTAN: Luckily I didn't try to do THAT last night…

YUKIKO: Oooh! What is it?

YUKIKO: I wanna know!

SETTAN: Not THAT… but THAT…

YUKIKO: I'm quite disappointed...

KUNIE: So it wouldn't be unimaginable for Monokuma to have those guns in every room right?

KUNIE: To punish rule-breakers at any time of the day…

KUNIE: That's what you're saying, right Yu?

YU: That's right.

IWAO: Since you broke your own rules, won't you have to be punished for it?

IWAO: Let's vote now! Like right now!

MONOKUMA: Just shut up you ingrates!

MONOKUMA: What rule did I break?

MONOKUMA: I don't remember any rule that forbids me from punishing naughty students…

MONOKUMA: In fact, I abided by my own rules, fair and square!

KEISUKE: Tch… even now you're still going on about that?!

MONOKUMA: Even though the killer didn't get their hands dirty directly…

MONOKUMA: There's most definitely a killer!

MONOKUMA: I'm sure of it… I can smell the blackened lurking among you hopeful Ultimates!

YU: (Is he insisting that there's still a killer amongst us…?)

MINAKO: W-What do you mean? Did someone have a bad dinner? Or was it b-breakfast?

AKI: No one had a bad meal Minako. Focus!

MONOKUMA: And even a murder weapon… right Yu?

YUI: Didn't we already decide what the murder weapon was you rowdy animal?

MONOKUMA: Rowdy animal? I don't know what that means but it sure makes me fuzzy on the inside!

YUI: You're disgusting! Can someone kill that thing already?

KUNIE: A real murder weapon…

MONOKUMA: Yup yup! That's right!

MONOKUMA: Things are starting to get exciting!

[PHASE ELEVEN]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable Ammunition:

Monokuma File No. 1

Broken Lock

Missing ElectroID

Missing Sleeping Pills

Letter to Kyoshi

YUKIKO: If he's talking about the murder weapon…

YUKIKO: Didn't we already establish that to be his toy gun?

YUKIKO: The one he uses to…

IWAO: Who cares, he's just trying to throw us off again!

MONOKUMA: I'll throw you off this building if you continue with your insults!

KIN: I will gladly accept that offer.

TAMAKI: You do know what that means right…

TAMAKI: I'd actually like to see you try!

MAKO: There was ==nothing else at the scene of the crime==…

MAKO: Nothing that could have been the murder weapon…

HANA: I wouldn't have known… I didn't notice much.

KUNIE: I can't think of anything else…

KUNIE: I'm at my limit…

KUNIE: Zzz…

YU: No, that's wrong!

YU: No, there was something else at the crime scene. Right, Kaneko?

KANEKO: …

KANEKO: You don't mean… the broken lock?

YU: Directly in front of the storage shed… we found a broken lock.

YU: What if Kyoshi was locked inside during Night Time and unable to break out?

MONOKUMA: AHAHAHAHA! That's right. Then what?

KANEKO: He would have gotten killed…

KANEKO: Because he couldn't return to his room in time.

YUKIKO: No way!

YUKIKO: It's dirty, way too dirty! And too good to be true…!

YUI: Can someone lock this psycho up already?

YUI: She's been making innuendos all day! Is she depraved or something?

YU: Back to the matter at hand, if the broken lock could be considered as an indirect murder weapon…

YU: The person who locked Kyoshi in the shed… is the true culprit.

AKI: Because that person forced him to break the rules!

KEISUKE: Even though Monokuma was technically the one who killed Kyoshi…

KEISUKE: You can't say someone is guilty just for locking Kyoshi up, can you?

YU: Keisuke… why are you interfering?

KEISUKE: I'm just stating the facts that you aren't considering.

KEISUKE: Let's say the killer locked Kyoshi in the shed. Then what?

KEISUKE: You aren't gonna say that the person stayed till Kyoshi was at his last breath… then dealt the finishing blow, right?

KEISUKE: After all, the person would have been punished for breaking the rules too!

YU: Ngh…!

MONOKUMA: Just for this once, I'll clear up whatever misunderstandings you have about the term, 'kill'!

MONOKUMA: The blackened doesn't have to finish the victim… all he or she has to do is to be the main one responsible for the death.

SHOKO: So... I guess Keisuke's idea was folly.

SHOKO: Quite a tragedy, don't you think?

KEISUKE: I-It was just an idea, got a problem…?

SHOKO: No, none at all. I was just curious why you were so headstrong on confronting Monokuma.

SHOKO: He's our headmaster, so we ought to respect him!

MONOKUMA: Aww… you shouldn't have!

MONOKUMA: I knew I had my eye on the right student from the start.

KEISUKE: Don't go celebrating all that fast.

KEISUKE: Remember the condition of the lock?

YUI: It was broken into a gazillion pieces!

KIN: I don't understand her.

TAMAKI: What she meant was… "It was beyond repair!"

KIN: Oh. Thank you Tamaki.

YUI: I thought I said just that!

KEISUKE: You see… the lock really was broken.

KEISUKE: In fact, to the extent where I don't think it would have even been capable of locking the storage shed anymore.

KUNIE: Then it wouldn't make sense for the killer to… *yawn*...

KUNIE: Have used the lock, right? Kyoshi could have just broken out then.

KANEKO: But this is all based on the certain premise of the lock being broken before the crime was actually committed.

SHOKO: Hahahaha! Absolutely right.

SHOKO: As expected of the Ultimate Detective… you never fail to see through loopholes, do you?

KANEKO: Call me Sleuth...

SHOKO: Keisuke, what if I were to say that I was the one who broke the lock?

KEISUKE: Huh? Cut your crap and speak up.

SHOKO: Let's all imagine this.

SHOKO: The Ultimate Geologist wakes up earlier in the morning, at let's say 6.30 AM to tend to the plants in the greenhouse.

SHOKO: Then he realises that some of the plants have been infested by pests…

SHOKO: So he walks over to the storage shed to find some pesticide… but realises it was locked.

SHOKO: Thinking about it, he decides it was a careless mistake of someone to have locked the shed on accident.

SHOKO: Unable to open the lock, he decides to force it open with a weed cutter, rendering the tool blunt in the process.

SHOKO: Low and behold… what he found as he stepped into the shed.

KEISUKE: W-What are you trying to say?

SHOKO: Of course, these are all what ifs…

SHOKO: But what IF, I really did just that?

SHOKO: That would disperse your brainless theory then, wouldn't it?

YU: You don't mean to say…

YU: That Kyoshi was locked in the shed initially, but you broke the lock?

MONOKUMA: He means exactly what he means!

MONOKUMA: My star student wouldn't tell no lies!

AKI: Why didn't he get shot too, then?

AKI: Wasn't it before 7 AM when he reached the greenhouse?

MONOKUMA: About that…

MONOKUMA: As long as you don't fall asleep anywhere other than your room during that time frame, I have no reason to punish you!

KANEKO: Even though I'd hate to admit it…

KANEKO: If Shoko discovered the body on his own first, then everything would add up.

KANEKO: It would also explain why he had Kyoshi's ElectroID... If he saw the picture in the ID, his first move would have been to confront Hana.

KANEKO: However, it also makes him more suspicious. He had no alibi at that point of time, right?

IWAO: Aren't you all getting too ahead of yourselves?

IWAO: T-This only means that Shoko might be the culprit himself like Kaneko said!

IWAO: He could be lying to give himself a reason for why he had Kyoshi's ElectroID!

SETTAN: Even though I'd hate to agree on the same thing… Iwao's right isn't he?

SETTAN: Shoko could be misleading us even now.

SETTAN: We need to steady our breaths and take aim for the truth!

SHOKO: Oh yeah? Then why would I even have bothered to have anything to do with that numbskull?

KUNIE: If motives are the concern now… doesn't it increase the chances of Shoko being the killer?

YUKIKO: So if he had a motive, he could have done it… right?!

KEISUKE: Judging from what happened last night…

KEISUKE: The person who fought with Kyoshi…

KEISUKE: Well, well.

YUI: Yay! It's decided!

SHOKO: …

SHOKO: W-What the fuck are you saying?! I'm not the killer!

MAKO: Come to think of it…

MAKO: If we're talking about motives here… then some of our names can be cleared!

SETTAN: I didn't really talk to the big guy at all… I swear on my honour!

MAKO: I didn't even interact with Kyoshi too… so why would I have bad blood against him?

YUI: There you go blabbering about your innocence and crap, how ridiculous!

YUI:

You just want to clear your own names don't you?

KEISUKE: What happened to the Shoko we all know and love?

SHOKO: There's no evidence that even points to me as the killer! I insist you cease this nonsense at once!

YU: (Was Shoko the only one who could've been the killer?)

YU: (No, there were other people who could have done it too...!)

[PHASE TWELVE]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable Ammunition:

Minako's Autopsy

Missing Sleeping Pills

Body Discovery Announcement

Aki's Statement

TAMAKI: You're obviously the killer, aren't you?

TAMAKI: I've seen enough fights of my own to know when someone is really angry…

SHOKO: I didn't! Why can't you see what's the truth?

SHOKO: There's no direct evidence that even points to me!

YUKIKO: Just shush and accept the fact that you've lost.

YUKIKO: We'll enjoy life's grandeur in your stead!

IWAO: I'd rather stay with these weirdos than a killer like you...

KANEKO: I wouldn't be too sure…

KANEKO: After all, we can ==narrow the killer down to 3 people==, right Yu?

KEISUKE: Narrow the killer down?

KEISUKE: There's just no way to jump that hurdle…!

YU: I concur!

YU: Shoko… I have good and bad news.

SHOKO: What?

YU: Well... Kaneko asked Monokuma about the Body Discovery Announcement earlier…

YU: And he mentioned that it'd only be sounded off once 3 people, other than the murderer discover the body.

KEISUKE: So what? Isn't that correct? Only 3 of us saw the body, right?

HANA: Uhm…

HANA: If Shoko was telling the truth…

SHOKO: Heck yea I was!

HANA: Then it would mean that all 3 of us are potential culprits… even me.

KEISUKE: …

TAMAKI: Huh? Why?

YUKIKO: I fail to see the logic behind your reasoning.

YU: Keisuke and Hana were the first ones to have discovered Kyoshi's body…

YU: But the announcement only played once I saw it.

YUI: It adds up doesn't it?

YUI: One plus one plus one is three!

IWAO: No wonder you can't even remember what your talent is… Hahahaha!

YU: Tch… w-who cares about that right now!

YUKIKO: Iwao… what are you plotting? For someone who has no relation to the murder… you sure are nosy.

SETTAN: You sure like to piss us off…

YU: What I was trying to say before I got interrupted was…

YU: If Shoko still insists that he discovered the body first, then it'd also make him a possible culprit.

YU: Because then, the announcement should have played once Keisuke and Hana saw it, not until I did!

KUNIE: …!

KUNIE: That's why, the killer… the person who locked Kyoshi in the shed must be Shoko, Hana or Keisuke, right?

SHOKO: Well, I'm not the killer, so I can narrow it down to 2 people who could've done it.

KEISUKE: W-Why you…! You're full of shit, aren't ya?

SHOKO: Oh, but did you know that shit is, at least, good for the environment?

SHOKO: Fine, so the killer is one of us… then what?

MAKO: Shoko is definitely suuuuuuuuuuuper suspicious!

AKI: But wouldn't Hana be too?

AKI: Think about it, she even has a legitimate motive to act on… one that Monokuma provided.

MONOKUMA: Yep, my motives are guaranteed to trigger your worst nightmares!

KUNIE: Anything… but nightmares!

MONOKUMA: There are people who can't act unless they're faced with a problem, unless they find their reason.

MONOKUMA: And it's up to me to provide that reason for them!

KEISUKE: Why are we jumping to conclusions?

KEISUKE: You're all forgetting something else important, remember the letter?

KEISUKE: If Hana wrote that, invited him to meet at the prison cells, and knocked him out…

KEISUKE: Then how could she have carried him over all the way to the shed?!

KEISUKE: There's no way a frail girl like her could possibly have moved Kyoshi's body all the way.

MINAKO: Eep!

MONOKUMA: Hmm… Keisuke is making quite a fair point. Why not you all listen to what he's saying?

YU: So... the only two suspects we're left with are you and Shoko?

SHOKO: Bullshit! I've had enough of this merry go round!

SHOKO: I know for sure I'm not the killer, I merely discovered the body!

SHOKO: That's why I went to confront Hana in the morning...

SHOKO: I-I know! The true culprit might have something on them!

SHOKO: Something which I wasn't able to find at the crime scene, even before everyone arrived!

YU: (Huh…? Was there something missing from the crime scene?)

YU: (Wait, there is! But what was it again…?)

YU: (I'll have to focus, and find out…)

[PHASE THIRTEEN]

Epiphany Anagram!

_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

…

…

…

_/O/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

…

…

…

_/O/ _/ _/ _/ _/Y

…

…

…

_/O/ _/K _/ _/Y

…

…

…

_/O/ _/K _/E/Y

…

…

…

L/O/ _/K _/E/Y

…

…

…

L/O/C/K _/E/Y

…

…

…

L/O/C/K K/E/Y

LOCK KEY!

YU: This is it!

YU: You're talking about the lock key, right?

SHOKO: That was the only reason why I had to force open that lock in the first place, because I couldn't find the key.

SHOKO: If the killer was really amongst us, then the key to the shed should still be with them!

SETTAN: It's a long shot, but we can try, I guess?

SETTAN: You know, getting permission for the full body check and all again.

MONOKUMA: Go ahead! This trial is getting terribly mundane…

MONOKUMA: And you know what happens when I get bored… Time runs out!

MONOKUMA: Now hurry and search for the damn key ya bastards!

AKI: Does anyone wanna own up before we begin?

AKI: It would save us a lot of trouble.

IWAO: I doubt anyone would, heck if the killer had it, why would it make any sense to make things smoother for us?

IWAO: It'd be like scoring an own goal ya know?

KUNIE: Then we have no choice but to check every single person…

YUKIKO: But how do we go about doing so?

YUKIKO: What if they were hiding it in their undergarments?!

MINAKO: I-I didn't hide anything under mine!

YUKIKO: Are you sure…? I'm pretty sure there's treasure to be found!

MINAKO: Ahhhhh! Nooooooooooooooo!

MONOKUMA: I won't allow such indecent behaviour in my school, especially in front of so many others!

MONOKUMA: Anyway, I think it's time to reveal one of my seven legendary items!

[Monokuma raises one paw up into the air, then slams it down on his stand. A puff of smoke appeared, fading away shortly after. Standing proud, with a mini pointy object, covered in rainbow stripes, was Monokuma. Not to mention, the iconic Monokuma logo boldly painted on the device.]

MONOKUMA: Tadaaa!

KIN: I-I must learn the secret behind your magic!

MONOKUMA: An experienced magician never reveals his secrets, or have you forgotten, Kin?

KIN: Ughh… I understand.

KIN: It seems your magical hold over me is strengthening by the day…

IWAO: What's he going on about again…?

YUI: At least he doesn't have a bad personality, right Tamaki?

TAMAKI: Mm hmm.

IWAO: People like you aren't even worth my time, don't make me laugh.

KUNIE: Now, now, now.

KUNIE: Why not we all calm down by taking a relaxing 5 minute nap?

SETTAN: Now that you mentioned it, I am quite tired… *yawn*.

MAKO: *yawn*.

YU: (I'm tired too… but…)

YU: (We don't have time to get distracted like this…!)

YU: Monokuma, what're you holding?

MONOKUMA: Oh, this?

MONOKUMA: It's a Super Awesome Metallic Finder, Monokuma Edition!

AKI: In short, a metal detector?

MONOKUMA: Aw, you're no fun at all...

YU: And what're you planning to do with that?

MONOKUMA: Why, to conduct full body checks for who stole the key of course.

MONOKUMA: After all, it's school property and stealing is a big no no! And we all know any school property is property of Monokuma, don't we?

MONOKUMA: I'll be able to get back my key, and you bastards will be able to root out the blackened…

MONOKUMA: It's like killing two people in one murder!

MINAKO: That isn't how it's p-phrased!

MONOKUMA: Aw, who cares?

MONOKUMA: Here we go!

[Before we could react, Monokuma darted here and there, checking our personnel one by one. Eventually, the device beeped loudly when it passed…]

MONOKUMA: Hey! What's that in your right pocket, fork it over Keisuke!

KEISUKE: …

[Keisuke hands a silver coloured key to Monokuma, before looking to the side. I stared dumbfoundedly at him, but he refused to make eye contact.]

MONOKUMA: This key does have the same brand as the lock… but it's been dirtied by your grubby hands!

MONOKUMA: Sniff… Oh well.

MONOKUMA: I don't need it anymore, you can have it Yu!

YU: W-Wait!

YU: …

== Lock's Key has been added as ammunition. (12)

YU: (Still… I can't believe it…!)

[PHASE FOURTEEN]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable Ammunition:

Broken Lock

Body Discovery Announcement

Letter to Kyoshi

Aki's Statement

Kyoshi's ElectroID

AKI: Keisuke… were you responsible for the murder?

KEISUKE: …

YU: S-Say something! Don't keep quiet…

YU: You're not the one… right?

KEISUKE: …

KUNIE: He… couldn't have been the one…

KUNIE: I just can't… believe it.

YUKIKO: This is… unfathomable.

TAMAKI: Weren't the both of you good friends?

TAMAKI: Or was that an act…?

SETTAN: There's just no way…

SETTAN: It could've been Shoko…

SHOKO: Think what you want.

MONOKUMA: The sinking feeling of despair slowly clogged the Ultimates' vision…

MONOKUMA: As they eventually voted for Keisuke!

YUI: Is it voting time already?

IWAO: Just hurry up and score the finaliser!

AKI: But =he had no motive to do so=…

AKI: Compared to Hana or Shoko, the possibility of him being a murderer pales in comparison…

YU: No, that's wrong!

YU: H-He…

SHOKO: Please…

SHOKO: Spare me from this.

SHOKO: You of all people should know his motive for doing so.

YU: (Shoko… I have to do this, don't I?)

YU: (Who else could…?)

YU: Keisuke.

YU: You… did it to get revenge for Hana who was bullied by Kyoshi's sister.

YU: That's the truth of this case, isn't it?!

KEISUKE: ... Just shut up and get it over with already... None of you would understand.

YU: Keisuke...

YU: It's over.

KANEKO: HOLD IT!

*Music halts*

YU: K-Kaneko?! T-That really scared me.

KANEKO: Yu, are you sure you're going to settle for an easy conclusion?

KANEKO: After we've come this far?

YU:

What do you mean...?

KANEKO: There are still too many problems with the case at hand.

KANEKO: Are you going to take this lying down?

KANEKO: Think hard, and recall what we went through!

[PHASE FIFTEEN]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable Ammunition:

Monokuma File No. 1

Minako's Autopsy

Missing ElectroID

Hana's ElectroID

Lock's Key

KANEKO: Think about what Keisuke said…

KANEKO: In his statement lay a clear contradiction.

KANEKO: The location of the murder…

KANEKO: The ElectroIDs…

KANEKO: The injuries sustained…

KANEKO: Don't you see it?

KANEKO: Something that was strange came up!

YU: Something that was strange…?

YU: Something that Keisuke… said?

YU: I concur!

YU: Kaneko… I see it now.

KANEKO: You're welcome.

YU: Keisuke, you mentioned how Kyoshi had to have been knocked out by the killer a while back, narrowing down the suspects to you and Shoko.

YU: But was it really the truth?

YU: Did the killer knock Kyoshi out, then move his body to where we found it?

KEISUKE: Of course it was!

YU: (W-What? Why was there a sudden change in his demeanor?!)

YU: No, it shouldn't be.

YU: Refer to the Monokuma File again.

|Cause of Death:

|Numerous bullet holes filled his body. Died from excessive blood loss and punctured organs.

|Time of Death:

|10.01 PM

|Additional Details:

|He was killed while sleeping.

YU: There were no mention of any injuries, or head trauma to indicate he was knocked out.

YU: In fact, the file states clearly that he was sleeping, not unconscious.

YU: Minako didn't mention any other injuries in her report either.

MINAKO: I can assure t-that I carried out the autopsy to the greatest of my ability…!

TAMAKI: Huh? What ability?

AKI: That wasn't very nice, was it?

TAMAKI: Oh, sorry dear, I didn't mean to be rude!

YU: (Even now, they're bickering…)

MONOKUMA: As I said earlier, I never withhold important information.

MONOKUMA: My files are done up with 100% accuracies, courtesy of yours truly!

AKI: Yu!

AKI: Is Keisuke really not the killer?

YU: H-huh?

KANEKO: Yes, he isn't.

MAKO: Fo reallllllzzz?!

KEISUKE: How would you know?!

YU: Kaneko… you don't mean to say…

KANEKO: The evidence speaks for itself… I'll leave that up to you to decide.

IWAO: S-So who's the real killer? Hurry up and show yourself already!

AKI: You can see me for a short session on how to manage stress levels later after this, you seem to be growing more hysterical as the trial goes on…

IWAO: I'm not hysterical! I just want everyone to live!

TAMAKI: By everyone you mean yourself right?

IWAO: If I die here… what would my fans think?

IWAO: They would be devastated wouldn't they…

YUI: You're giving me the creeps! I pity those fans of yours!

IWAO: Anyway, let's just all decide on Keisuke already, he had the key, so he was the murderer! There's no point talking about who done it anymore.

KANEKO: But isn't it weird he let himself get found out so easily?

KEISUKE: N-no? I got careless is all!

KANEKO: Why would the killer have kept the key on himself instead of disposing or hiding it?

KANEKO: Or was he waiting for this moment to take the blame for the entire crime?

KEISUKE: You're just imagining things, just get this over with already!

SHOKO: Stop with that farce of yours… it's getting disturbingly pointless.

SHOKO: The real killer, someone Keisuke would be willing to take the fall for, who is it?

SHOKO: Who could it be?

YU: (So… you're telling me to point out the "real killer"…)

YU: (Even though I don't want to condemn that person…)

YU: (There's no other way, right? After so many accusations…)

YU: (The only person who would have had a reason to write a letter to Kyoshi...)

YU: (The only one who Keisuke would take the fall for…)

YU: (It's you, and only you!)

Select someone!

HIDEKI YU

FUSHIEDA MINAKO

ASAI KIN

SHIMAMURA KEISUKE

SEYAMA KUNIE

TAKASU KANEKO

MONOKUMA

OUSHIMA MAKO

DAZAI KYOSHI

OGYU AKI

KITAMURA SHOKO

TAKARA HANA

TAKEKAWA YUKIKO

INABA TAMAKI

KOIKE YUI

EKIGUCHI SETTAN

SATOYA IWAO

YU: You're the only one!

YU: Hana… was it you?

HANA: …

KEISUKE: C-C'mon, Yu, what are you saying?

KEISUKE: As I said earlier… how could she have moved the body if she was the killer…!

KEISUKE: You know what I mean right?

KEISUKE: Hana couldn't possibly have moved his body to the storage shed from the prison cells!

AKI: Hmm… he's right, it is difficult for a girl of her size to have carried Kyoshi.

KEISUKE: That's it, that's exactly it!

KUNIE: That sounds fishy!

MONOKUMA: Speaking of which, I'm really hungry for fish right now! *Rawr*

MONOKUMA: This trial's probably ending soon… so hurry up you bastards!

YU: (So he's telling me to prove how Hana could have moved the body…)

YU: (… Ngh, it's no good, I can't think of anything!)

KANEKO: Hold it right there!

KANEKO: Remember, there will always be people who will disagree with you. But it's up to you to force out a compromise…

KANEKO: Show them Yu, the unfiltered and unadulterated truth you believe in!

YU: (What she's trying to say is… to trust myself…?)

YU: (I'll have to show the rest just how Hana could have moved the body. The truth that they didn't consider…!)

YU: We'll settle this… with an All Out Debate!

Surprised? You should be. I've added a little something of my own. At times like these, there will be people who would be on your side for a particular argument, and others who will disagree with you. Can you ensure your side wins…? Fight it out for what you believe to be right!

[PHASE SIXTEEN]

All Out Debate!

CHOOSE YOUR SIDE!

Against Keisuke

[Iwao | Kin | Yukiko | Minako | Kunie | Settan]

Against Hana

[Mako | Yui | Kaneko | Tamaki | Aki | Shoko]

IWAO: Hana carried Kyoshi? Don't make me laugh. There was just no way for her to have carried him from the prison cells.

MAKO: Engarde! Even if there isn't… there still lies the one possibility.

KIN: Hahahahaha! How amusing. Surely you aren't going to say she stole my teleportation skills to move Kyoshi, huh?

YUI: Enough with the childish nonsense... If Kyoshi couldn't have been carried there, it just means that he didn't get carried there!

YUKIKO: What are you saying? Your thoughts are extremely incoherent. Let me rearrange it for you; He was brought there, locked up, and killed!

KANEKO: Hold it. Let's all think about the kind of person Kyoshi was. How would he have reacted to what he saw on the ElectroID?

MINAKO: H-He was a kind person, but I think he wouldn't have dared to do anything about it! He might be evil like his sister… After all, h-he lied to me!

TAMAKI: Let me handle this. Kyoshi was a stand up guy, the kind that believed in justice, though given he was careless at times.

KUNIE: At times…? I thought of him to be of the blur, clumsy type. So what if he was a stand up guy as you said, would he have been able to make the decision to sleep in the locker? All by himself?

AKI: It lies in his personality! When he learnt that his sister did terrible things to Hana, he wouldn't have taken it lying down! He would have done something about it, I'm sure of it.

SETTAN: Then why did he have to wait for the letter to come? If he immediatedly apologised to Hana wouldn't everything have been solved like a click of de' pistol?

SHOKO: The earth doesn't revolve around you. If Hana wanted revenge, it was clear she done it. Him being locked in the shed, it's too much of a coincidence to Hana's case of bullying!

KEISUKE: She wouldn't have wanted revenge! She isn't that type of girl! She couldn't have won a fight against Kyoshi to lock him up!

HANA: Keisuke…

YU: I object…! She wouldn't have needed to win a fight, there was no struggle at all! Kyoshi followed her, and went into the shed voluntarily. What if that was his way of atoning to Hana? What if he chose to go into the shed?!

ALL AGAINST KEISUKE: Keisuke was the one, Hana couldn't have committed the crime!

ALL AGAINST HANA: No, Kyoshi's sense of justice led to his demise!

CLEAR!

YU: It wouldn't have been impossible for Kyoshi to have wanted to exact upon himself the same problems his sister put Hana through...

KEISUKE: Yes… that's right.

KEISUKE: But what if Hana didn't do that either?

KEISUKE: Please… Yu, listen to me!

YU: (Keisuke… it's more than over.)

YU: (I understand your desperation… but I'll have to break through your last argument, whether you like it or not!)

[PHASE SEVENTEEN]

Nonstop Debate!

Usable Ammunition:

Minako's Autopsy

Broken Lock

Body Discovery Announcement

Letter to Kyoshi

Minako's Account

KEISUKE: Hana… she…

KEISUKE: She told me last night, after dinner about her problems.

KEISUKE: In her stead, I wrote the letter to Kyoshi, and asked to meet at the prison cells.

KEISUKE: I left her alone… and =told her to stay in her room for the whole time= till I was done.

KEISUKE: I was the one who met Kyoshi, the one who convinced him to lock himself inside!

KEISUKE: I didn't want Hana to dirty her hands, so I did it myself…

KEISUKE: D-Don't you get it?! I made Kyoshi atone for his sin!

KEISUKE: Hana had nothing to do with it at all!

YU: I'll shoot through your contradiction!

YU: (This is painful… why do I have to be the one doing this?)

YU: It's over… Keisuke.

KEISUKE: Nothing's over till I say it's over.

KEISUKE: NOTHING!

KEISUKE: NOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHING NOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHING!

YU: You made one fatal flaw in your story, and it was something that sealed the deal for Hana…

YU: I still wasn't sure about it a while back, but now I'm positive that only Hana could have done it.

KEISUKE: It was… me…

KEISUKE: Why are all of you so insistent…

KEISUKE: Why are all of you so heartless…!

YU: Minako… she recounted that she went back to the dorm at 9.30 PM with Hana.

YU: She wasn't in the dorm like you said…

YU: In fact, that time frame is perfect for when she returned from the greenhouse instead of the music room…

YU: Just before Kyoshi

was killed by Night Time.

YU: Keisuke… give it up, please.

YU: It's for your own good…

YUI: Uh, can we finally vote now?

KANEKO: Before we can, we need to settle this… once and for all.

KANEKO: To do that, we'll have to go over the entire incident from beginning to end… to make things clear.

YU: (That's right… we have to close.)

YU: (Or else no matter how much time passes, we won't be able to prove Hana's crime...!)

Closing Argument!

YU: Here's how it all happened in this case!

ACT 1

It all started yesterday morning, when Monokuma told us to gather in the pantry for a brief. Once we were there, our ElectroIDs vibrated, but we received nothing. At least, that's what we thought, so we dispersed afterwards.

ACT 2

Little did we know, 2 of us were provided motives. These motives came in the form of pictures, sent directly to their ElectroIDs. Knowing that it would anger one of the recipients, and make the other recipient, Kyoshi, feel guilty, Monokuma created a perfect motive. However, Kyoshi didn't approach the person, and was thinking of how to repent for his sister's mistakes the entire day. Though the killer felt angry, no plans were made against Kyoshi, because the killer expected him to at least apologise for his sister. Because he did no such thing for the entire day and acted as if nothing had happened, the killer decided to invite him for a talk.

ACT 3

After dinner, Kyoshi went back to his room to do some weightlifting. He noticed a letter by his door, and read it's contents out of curiousity. Instantly, he recognised the problem that the person was addressing, and opted for the confrontation the other had promised. He then made his way over to the prison cell which was stated in the letter, third from the left.

ACT 4

As he was heading towards his intended location, he was stopped by Minako, who was in the Nurse's Office. The reason why she was there was simple. She was doing her routine inventory check for the Nurse's Office, which was why she was able to see people passing by in the hallway. Kyoshi however, didn't want Minako to know about it. This is why he lied to her saying he was hungry, and wanted to find some snacks over at the cafeteria. With that, he left Minako in the office to continue her checks.

ACT 5

After Kyoshi talked with the killer for a bit, he decided to atone for his sister's sin, and offered something which the killer couldn't refuse. In the heat of the moment, the killer agreed, and the two went over to the greenhouse, where there was a storage shed. Their plan? It was to let Kyoshi experience just how terrifying it was to be trapped in an enclosed area all alone, not knowing when help would ever come.

ACT 6

Locking the door, the killer ran out of the greenhouse in a hurry. However, Minako was manning the Nurse's Office, so it was only natural that she would see the person approaching. Since it was already 9.30 PM, Minako offered to head back to their rooms together out of goodwill.

Be it by chance the killer forgot the Night Time rule, or purposely locked Kyoshi in because of it… there's only one person who could have done that.

Especially if that person bore a grudge about lockers towards Kyoshi.

Isn't that right, Takara Hana?!

(AN: Tada! I'll have Hana explain her actions more in the next chapter, because she wouldn't be so malicious to do such a thing, right? Do expect a backstory, and the true conversation between Keisuke and Hana.

Anyway, thanks for reading yet again! Until next time, p-p-p-peace!) 


	7. Chapter 7

(AN: This chapter should clear all your queries up, but should you still have any, feel free to PM me. Actually planned to post this up early this week but I was too busy and tired to write…

WARNING: The execution scene might be gory for some, but I doubt it's enough to give this an M rating. Just a gentle warning.)

Silence followed soon after, as we all looked at Hana expectantly, hoping somewhat for any sign of anger. I wanted to be wrong, but her broken will gave it all away. Her silence didn't help much either, and staring blankly at the table only worsened her case. I refused to believe that the innocent, frail looking girl in front of me was guilty for Kyoshi's murder.

"So that's about what happened... right, Hana?" I reluctantly said.

Everyone hung on the cold yet powerful words that emanated from my mouth. Without a doubt, it was troubling that this was another truth we simply had to learn to accept.

Were we making ourselves feel better?

Were we being selfish?

Were we simply playing as friends?

Hana... why did you have to do such a thing?

Couldn't you have talked it out normally?

"I guess... it's over." Kunie yawned.

Keisuke started banging his fists on the table. His eyes were watery, and he was trying hard not to let the tears flow. It was a difficult scene for us to take in.

"Gyahahahahaha! Looks like the case has finally come to a close!" Monokuma laughed his trademark laugh. "I take back what I said about the record being broken, you bastards took an annoyingly long time to decide on an answer for yourselves!"

"S-Shit... so we were right?" Settan said sadly.

"Damn right you were! Or were you?"

"Nyahahahah! Why not you take a vote and see for yourselves?" Monokuma hopped onto his table. "Wait for it... my new state of the art technology!"

My table opened to reveal a touchpad of sorts. Its header read "Cast your Vote!", and on it were a list of students accompanied by their faces.

"You there, stop sleeping!" Monokuma raised his voice. "It's the best part of the trial, so I won't tolerate any delinquents!"

"C'mon, don't miss out on this once in a lifetime experience, only available right here and now!"

Kunie pretended to fall asleep again.

"Upupupu... where did all your gusto go? Or are you just hesitating?"

"Really, did you Ultimates waste all that time and effort just to arrive at this standstill? Vote already, or I'll eat you up real quick!"

"No... I would never vote for Hana…" Keisuke whimpered pathetically.

"Upupupupu! Everyone has to vote, or would you like to try what would happen if you didn't? The system works by majority vote, so it wouldn't matter who you vote for if you're the only one disagreeing with the rest of the class!" Monokuma targeted the already broken Keisuke, who winced at his words.

"Who will be chosen as the blackened? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one...?!"

"Just thinking about it makes my heart race three times faster than you could say I love Monokuma!"

Strangely enough, all of us were solemnly quiet after we arrived at the conclusion. Rather than denial at this point... I think most of us had trouble casting our votes because a simple touch would send a fellow Ultimate... No, a fellow classmate... a friend, to her death. We would be responsible for whatever punishment Monokuma had in store for her, so wasn't that as good as being killers ourselves...?

A sudden growl broke my train of thought.

Getting the hint, I raised my hand towards the screen that would decide whether Hana lived, or died. I shakily pressed her name, popping up a confirmation screen, with an enlarged version of her face and a blinking red "VOTE!" icon. The picture made me reconsider what I was about to do. Was I truly about to take part in deciding her fate? I tried to deceive myself that this wouldn't contribute to her death. But... I knew the truth, Monokuma wasn't playing around with his guns and threats. He was dead serious.

Aki shot an apathetic glance at my direction.

"Remember how Kyoshi died... was it fair?"

Aki's right.

This was it...

The determining factor.

Granted she was one of my friends... I took a deep breath before finally pressing the button firmly. She had killed my friend... and it was something unforgivable, even if there was a reason behind it. Even if Monokuma forced it upon her...!

There was no turning back.

Everyone else confirmed their votes in quick succession, apart from Keisuke. Eventually, he touched the screen, though he obviously wasn't keen on voting for the right person.

"Nyahahaha! The results are finally in, let's see what we have here..." Monokuma held up his own touchpad. "As expected, 14 people voted for Hana, including herself... while Keisuke voted for himself!"

"Ngh...! Hana... I'm s-sorry..."

"I broke my promise… I couldn't protect you!"

I turned to look sadly at Keisuke, who banged the table with his clenched fists repeatedly, before eventually crumpling to his knees.

"Now for the moment of truth… ding ding ding! You're correct! The murder of Dazai Kyoshi was carried out solely by your very own friend you thought to be innocent - Takara Hana!"

"Why did you have to kill him… why?" Mako asked, still unable to believe the outcome of the trial.

"Couldn't you have settled for a more peaceful resolution…? You didn't have to do such a thing!" Yukiko added.

Hana shook her head, still refusing to utter any words. Thinking about it, wasn't it strange that Hana didn't say anything at all? In fact, she even voted for herself as the culprit. Instead of doubting whether she was the killer, there was something else which didn't add up.

Iwao's outburst startled most of us. "Are you fucking kidding me? She killed Kyoshi, and that's something we can't deny."

Even though his words had the usual tinge of insensitiveness; it was true, to a certain extent.

"For once... you actually make some sense. Am I dreaming?" Kunie looked surprised, and blinked her eyes a few times.

"And she still doesn't wanna talk?" Kin conjured.

"Hana, you don't have to say anything." Keisuke said. "These people voted for you as the killer..."

She looked down.

"I think... it's okay to let them know."

"I'm going to get punished soon, anyway... it's the least I could do." She smiled sadly.

"Heh, this girl knows what she's talking about!" Monokuma exclaimed.

"Well then, shall we begin the story-telling session? Hold onto your seats, because this is gonna be a blast from the past!"

Hana stared at Monokuma, and shuddered, as he cleared his throat, and began narrating her life story.

4 years ago...

"Hana, can you see me after choir practice? I have some… important matters to discuss with you."

The man clothed in simple office wear loudly told Hana from across the room. Not realising she was subject to many curious gazes and whispers, she innocently gave a natural reply to that question.

"Sure Mr. Lee!"

Since preschool, Hana had been recognised for her voice. It was then that her mother encouraged her to take it up as a co-curricular activity, not only to cultivate her talent, but for her to truly enjoy singing. Her mother wasn't the only one who inspired her to join the choir, but also her neighbours and teachers who heard her lovely voice before. Whenever she sung, the people around her could feel the emotions she weaved into her words.

Few days later...

"If you take a look at today's papers, Hana made the headlines for the recent choir competition yet again." Mr. Lee said cheerfully. "Shall we all give a round of applause for her?"

*Clap, clap, clap*

"Pfft... No one really cares." One of the female students whispered.

"I know, right? She just got lucky is all." Another one said. "Born with a natural talent…"

Hana looked down sheepishly, and wanted to stop being the subject of attention. After all, it was getting apparent that more of her classmates were starting to dislike her even though it wasn't something she wished for.

Her talent was rare, and on top of the practice she put in day after day, it was no surprise that she ended up on the papers daily whenever she won a competition. However, the competitions she attended were not the usual singing ones, but choir competitions. She participated as a group with her school, and most, if not all of the time, she was the only one getting the glory and fame for the choir's success. This was why many of the other choir members held some amount of hatred and jealousy for the rising star.

After school...

"So what, think you're hot stuff?" A brunette pushed Hana to the wall.

She was accompanied by five other girls from the choir ensemble.

"Yea, that's right. So what if you can sing?" A girl with short black hair added.

"She probably sucked the reporters' dicks off to get on the papers. Heh, Mr. Lee might've even given her some extra lessons after school as well!"

The brunette banged the wall, making Hana flinch for a bit. Afterwards, she grabbed hold of Hana's ponytail, and brought her face close to her own.

"Just because you're talented you think you're the best, huh? Continue messing with us and this'll get worse. You better quit while you're at it."

She spit on Hana's cheek, before walking off brazenly. The rest followed their leader, and started giggling whispers. Wiping off the saliva on her face, she went on her way. Apart from the saliva, tears were also streaming down her cheek. She couldn't help it after all, it wasn't her fault for being good at singing. In the first place, the rationale of wanting to be in the choir was because she didn't want to stand out too much. At least, that's what her mother told her. She wanted her daughter to enjoy herself, and share the burden of performing with the rest of the people in the choir.

"Hana, is something the matter?" The lady passed her some food.

"U-Uh, no mom. Not at all."

"Okay... if there's anything

wrong at all, don't hesitate to confide in me." Her mother smiled. "I'm always here for you, just remember that dearie."

"I know, thanks mom." Hana lied, actually feeling bad about keeping the earlier events of today from her mother.

"Anyway, you appeared on the papers again today. I guess you're a rising star now, aren't ya Hana?" She said casually.

"H-Haha... I guess so."

"Anyways, Dad will be free this Saturday, so l made reservations for dinner."

Hana gave a small nod and they continued eating for a while.

"You know, I've been hearing you practice day in and out, such that I'm even having trouble sleeping at times... "

"Sorry mom..."

"It's fine, not like I could blame my daughter for doing what she loves." Her mother assured. "You deserve it anyway."

Smiling, Hana continued her dinner. Her facade was a tough one to put up, but something she didn't have much leeway with. After all, it wasn't like she had much of a choice.

That evening, everything was routine for that family, except that instead of the usual soothing lullaby that accompanied the arrival of the night, all that was heard; the cawing of a few crows.

Later that week...

"So, you chose to ignore our warnings?"

"…"

"Hey, you deaf? Answer her."

"Pfft, I think she's just scared."

Hana took a deep breath.

"Y-You're all just jealous, aren't you?"

"W-What? You trying to play punk with us?"

"I worked hard..."

"People who don't understand the hard work necessary to be successful don't deserve to be jealous!"

"Is she insane?"

"Who does she think she is?"

"T-Tch, think you're hot shit spouting nonsense like that? I'll show you!"

The girls started beating Hana up, and eventually she ended up being in a locker. While all this was happening, one of them was filming the entire process, and even took a couple of pictures.

It was only until the next day that she was found.

This was the first and last time Hana ever tried to stand up for herself. She had never considered telling on them, for fear of the video and pictures getting circulated online. The bullies had threatened to release the files to public if she dared do such a thing. As such, she suffered the remaining days in Sobu High - a hellhole which she dreaded to attend everyday.

"Poor little Hana thought she could bury her past, once she arrived at Hope's Peak… but nonono!"

After taking a sip of his tropical drink, he continued.

In the prison cell...

"Hana...?"

"Uhm... the letter was written by you, right?"

"Mm."

"Is the picture for real...?"

"I mean, my sister wouldn't do such a thing... daddy wouldn't allow it!"

"So there's no way she was the one who did this to you, right?"

"Monokuma's trying to get us to fight..."

Without a word, Hana showed Kyoshi her ElectroID. However, being the dumbass he was, he didn't get her point.

"This...!"

"Isn't this my family photo? Where did you get this from?!"

"Are you that dense...?" Hana finally spoke.

"Monokuma sent me this. The girl who bullied me through all of high school... was your sister."

"H-Huh?! Impossible... how could she have done such a thing?!"

"She was well behaved at home, she did chores... ran errands... and was even a nominee for star pupil one year!"

"It... can't be... right?"

"Kyoshi, as much as I would like to have believed your sister wasn't the same girl who made my life a living hell, there's just no way to deny this fact."

"The person who ruined my school life, was your sister, and your sister alone. She was jealous of me... so much that she got her other friends to join in on the bullying, till a point where it became a routine."

"I..."

"I still can't believe it…"

"I'm sorry Hana."

"Sorry...? That's all I'm going to get? An apology for all those years of suffering?"

"I understand if you're angry... but this is the most I can do..."

"I'll be sure to lecture her once we escape, but for now -"

"Understand...?"

"Pfft..." Hana snickered hatefully.

"Hana...?"

"What do you understand? How can you even understand anything?!"

"Being bullied. I..."

"I... uh... wanted to tell you I'm sorta like you," Hana stared at Kyoshi with hatred, as he continued.

"What are you on about?" She asked with a scowl.

"When I was little... I was fat. I used to get beat up for no reason... and insulted just for my size."

Hana really couldn't care about whatever the hell he was trying to say to him, but it was the next words that pissed her off.

"That's why... I told my sister to never be like them. Anyway, you're like that too... right? Ever since you started getting popular... To tell you the truth, I don't think my sister really meant -"

Hana had enough. She slammed her fist against the wall, and turned to Kyoshi with a hateful glare.

"Are you serious?!" Hana yelled, stopping him from speaking.

"If you came here just to poke fun at me instead of listening what I have to say, then you're as good as your sister!" She snarled, with an unprecedented amount of loathing. "Even now, you're still defending her? Even when I told you about my past?!"

"I don't get it, are you that stupid? Why can't you just listen to me?"

"I don't give a hoot about what happened to you when you were younger!" Hana yelled and sank to her knees. Kyoshi was shocked beyond words, so much that he even forgot to feel angry.

"I-I thought you would understand..." Kyoshi said carefully.

"That's what I thought too. But it turns out I was wrong."

"Like sister, like brother..."

"Birds of the same kind flock together..."

"I've had enough. I'm leaving." Hana got up.

"Don't ever. Talk to me again." She said, throwing a death glare at Kyoshi.

She walked towards the door, but Kyoshi got in between her and her objective.

"Hana, listen to me. I know this may not mean much to you but... I'm willing to do something in my sister's stead to repent for her actions."

"As a member of the Dazai family, I promise to redeem our name. So please, hear me out."

Hana reluctantly gave Kyoshi a chance to speak.

"I... I'm willing to give myself the same treatment that my sister did onto you." Kyoshi started. "In the greenhouse, there's a storage shed with a lock..."

Honestly, Hana couldn't care less about his repentance. She was willing to let bygones be bygones. However, since Kyoshi couldn't let it go... she ended up agreeing to the plan. Tragically, the both of them made a fatal mistake – forgetting the rules about Night Time.

The next day...

"Hana... seriously."

"Are you all right?" Keisuke asked genuinely, after sitting her down on her bed.

"K-Keisuke..."

Keisuke tried to comfort her.

"Don't worry... everything will be alright... okay?"

"I'll protect you from the killer, so don't worry."

"I know Kyoshi was a good friend of ours but... I have faith in Yu and the rest that they'll be able to find the real killer."

"I'm sure of it."

"I'm the k-killer! I killed Kyoshi!" Hana burst into sudden tears.

"H-Huh?!"

"It's all my fault... all of it. It's all my fault!" Hana cried.

"What do you mean it's all your fault? You didn't kill Keisuke, what're you talking about?!"

"It's true... I killed Keisuke! The storage shed... everything... I did it... I did all of it."

Keisuke was at a loss for words.

"B-But how did you get a gun...?"

"I didn't... I don't know! All I know was that I locked him in the shed, and he died the next day!" Hana continued tearing up.

After thinking for a while, Keisuke finally realised the possibility of Monokuma executing Kyoshi because of the Night Time rule. Hana also explained to him what exactly happened for her to have locked Kyoshi in the shed...

Keisuke holds Hana close.

"It's not your fault. You were forced into this..."

"Hana, give me the lock key. I have a plan for the trial."

"I might not be able to save you," Keisuke said.

"I k-know."

"... But I'm going to try."

"Keisuke...!"

"The trial... we're gonna hold a trial. I can trick the rest of them into voting for me. Then you can escape... you aren't going to die!"

"B-But everyone else will die, including you! I don't want that..."

"Just trust me."

"But Kyoshi died because of me...! I don't deserve to live..."

"Let me settle everything, and go with whatever I say, okay?" Keisuke smiled.

Even though Hana didn't agree, she knew that there would be no stopping Keisuke from protecting her. She shed many more tears, before they decided on the plan.

Hana lay down on Keisuke's lap, after she calmed down for a bit.

"I-I have something important to tell you Keisuke." Hana said.

"H-Huh? What is it?"

Hana nods. "W-When... you first told me about your feelings... was that true?"

"Did you like me?"

"E-Eh, I mean... I guess so."

"I thought... I shouldn't make any more memories with you because we'll only get torn apart, making parting more painful. I might get punished soon..."

"Because as the one getting left behind, you'd be the one getting hurt." Hana continued, while laying on Keisuke's lap.

"So for your sake above all else, I should stay away from you, and not implicate you..."

"N-No... I wouldn't want that." Keisuke replied.

"And yet..."

"And yet... I wondered how you would remember me in the future."

"Probably... cold, lonely and sad..."

"Only that version of me. You wouldn't have anything good left to remember me by, apart from the fact that I killed Kyoshi..."

"That's not... that's not what I want."

Keisuke felt warm droplets sliding down his thigh.

"Hana..."

"What I want is to make memories with you, but it's something impossible for us now." Hana said.

"Even so... I want you to remember I was here, till the end..."

"Till the very end..."

"I want to be with you."

"I'll always be with you... because..."

"Keisuke..."

"I love you."

"H-Hana... don't go saying stupid things like that...!" Keisuke flared up.

"I-I promise, I'll protect you. I'll save you... no matter what it takes."

"So live, for both my sake, and yours."

Keisuke

gets up and kisses Hana on the forehead, before telling her to stay in her room while he goes out to see how the investigation was going.

But a few hours later... they were in the courtroom.

"Gee whiz! That sure took a lot out of me!" Monokuma finished with a sigh. "Wasn't that boring?"

"That was just an appetiser for execution time!"

"I'm sorry... Keisuke." Hana said to Keisuke. "Sorry that things had to end like this."

"Hana... I promised..." Keisuke said, trying to hold his tears in, clenching his teeth.

Hana smiled, and looked at Keisuke with teary eyes.

"The way you hold back your tears despite your pain and try to smile..." Hana went over to Keisuke, who was still on his knees.

"The way that smile is so wonderful..."

"But... it worries me a little." Hana bent down.

"I had a good life, even if it was short-lived."

"Keisuke... and everyone. I was so happy." She stood up.

"When I came to Hope's Peak... I finally had friends... other Ultimates that weren't jealous of me. And I met you Keisuke. It was like a dream come true!" Hana smiled.

"And now it's almost time for this dream to end."

Keisuke cries and reaches out for her. Hana reciprocates, and wipes off some of his trickling tears in the process.

"Hana... I..."

"That's the first time you let me see you cry..."

"Because you've been holding back all this time, right?"

"Because you're the type to hold back..."

Even more tears began streaming from Keisuke's eyes.

"Thank you." Hana said.

"For crying for me..."

"Thank you."

Hana smiles sadly and holds Keisuke's hands. Keisuke took a deep breath in return, and removed his rainbow band, before placing it on her wrist, then hugging her. He whispered some words into her ear.

He then leans forward to try and give Hana a kiss... just to be interrupted by the slamming of a gavel.

"Now, now," Monokuma said deviously. "It's about time I end this fiasco of a lousy movie! Right?"

Keisuke lept at the bear, and let out a cry.

"Upupupupu! NYAHAHAHAHAH! Who's ready? Your very first, action-packed execution!"

"First class seats for a live punishment!"

The atmosphere was filled with heavy tears and cries as Monokuma slammed the gavel once more, this time on a red button which rose from the front of his table.

"Goodbye... Keisuke. I love you." Hana said silently.

Before Keisuke could say anything in return, Hana got dragged off by several chains, and on the screen above Monokuma displayed these words.

"GAME OVER."

"TAKARA HANA HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY."

"COMMENCING PUNISHMENT..."

The chains lowered Hana on stage into the limelight. Her outfit had been changed to a ruffly white dress, and she was struggling to break free. Finally standing on the stage, the chains unshackled themselves, leaving her surrounded by an already gathered choir ensemble, made up of female Monokumas also dressed appropriately for the occasion. A round of applause was heard offstage, and a moment of silence was observed. They took a deep breath before the performance began.

DE-VOCALIZE - ENCORE OF A FINAL SYMPHONY

Singing a horrible tune, the Monokumas chorused together happily. Hana covered her ears and knelt down on the ground, unable to stop the ensemble who were getting louder and louder without falter. As they reached too high a decibel for Hana to handle, her eardrums ruptured, and a thin line of blood could be seen flowing down the sides of her ears. Eventually, the performance ended, and the bears gave a bow. However, Monokuma chanted "Encore!", which meant another round of pain for Hana. She pushed past the many bears, before exiting at stage left, only to realise her rainbow band wasn't on her person. The performance had already started, but Hana braced herself to endure the pain which was already intolerable, just to search for the band. Making her way back to the spotlight, she finally reunited with her prized possession, crying tears of joy to have at least protected her keepsake. Little did she know, a giant locker was making its way down from above, gaining speed rapidly. The spotlight grew dimmer and dimmer, and faded out in unison, as the locker landed onto Hana, splattering blood and pieces of her body onto the stage. Cleaning up the mess, one of the Monokumas held up her dismembered left arm still wearing the band. It was presented to the ensemble as a trophy of sorts, while they gathered in a formation. They bowed once again, before the curtain fell, leaving no trace of whatever just happened behind.

"NYAHAHAHA! That sure was refreshing!" Monokuma hollered. "Phew! Who knew executions could be this fun to direct?"

We stared in disbelief and horror at what just transpired before us.

"KYAAAAH!" Minako screamed.

"… What the fuck just happened?" Iwao said nervously.

"What did you do to her…?" Mako said, trying to hold her gag reflex. "Oh my god…"

"It was an execution! Didn't I warn you all already?"

"Geez, you bastards never learn!"

"That wasn't an execution… it was just a straight up macabre show for the twisted!" Kin yelled.

I was at a loss for words myself, as people continued shouting and screaming, as if that would somehow bring Hana back. Instead, I noticed that Kunie had a look of silent anger on her face.

"Yes Kunie? Do you perhaps want to comment on how well that performance went?" Monokuma provoked.

"No…"

"There's something very wrong here!"

"How so? I put in so much effort into that show, how dare you!" Monokuma retaliated.

"How could you do such a thing…? Why are we even being forced to play this killing game?" Kunie asked.

"You wanna know that?" Monokuma confirmed. "Well, too bad! I ain't telling!"

"Maybe if you guys murder someone else, then I'll start giving you more information! If not, you can forget about getting anything from me at all!"

"H-How could you," Settan stammered. "Why didn't you at least let her give a proper goodbye?!"

"Well, punishments don't wait for anyone. What can I say? Besides, it's getting real late."

"Anyone hungry? Dinner is already prepared in the cafeteria, so go nomnom and shooshoo!"

Monokuma let out his signature laugh, and left it at that, leaving us alone in the trial grounds.

Too tired to complain about anything, with heavy hearts, we made our way over to the cafeteria before heading back to our individual rooms.

Keisuke didn't join us for dinner that night…

Thus, that marked the end of the first class trial, where Hana and Kyoshi were sacrificed. After experiencing something like that, there was no way I could fall asleep. Trust… I didn't think that anyone would have had the heart to commit a murder, but I was proven to be terribly wrong. However, I didn't feel particularly happy or sad as the events of today bore down on my shoulders. As I thought more and more, my mind began to wander… why exactly was I here? There had to be a reason… right? Somehow, one way or another, I drifted into dreamland. But it was one of the worst nights I would have in a long time.

Somewhere in Hope's Peak

?: Don't you think that was too much for the first execution?

?: I think it's a great start to the killings, didn't you see the look on their faces?

?: Better to awaken the despair in them sooner than later, ya know. Makes things much easier.

?: I guess so, but what other motives do you have in mind for them?

?: Motives… haha.

?: Don't worry, I have plenty of them.

?: Enough for a few more killings?

?: Such a silly question…

ALIVE (14)

(AN: Welp, hope that wasn't too bad. Once again, sorry for the slightly late post. The next few chapters will be explorations of the second floor into Free Time, so do vote for who you wanna see via PM!

Until next week, buhbye.) 


	8. Chapter 8

(AN: That 5 month hiatus. Welp, better late than never? No promises on updates but I'll try to get out at least one a week.)

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"Rise and shine you bastards, it's time for a new day! Or as I would say, the early bear gets the honey! Upupupu…"

Along with the announcement, what greeted me was a constant pounding in the center of my forehead. I felt tired, and I honestly just wanted to sleep in - having the headache was only making it harder to do so. Strangely enough, that was the only night I slept through ever since we got here. Yet, my mind felt completely groggy. Upset over the lack of energy, I once again tried to sleep in for a while, before deciding that it probably wasn't the best thing to do today.

After all…

Two people died last night didn't they?

As if in denial, I was still trying to push the incident to a corner of my mind. Who could blame me? The entirety of the situation was so surreal for me to comprehend. I still didn't want to believe that someone as innocent and child-hearted as Kyoshi would be murdered, nor the culprit to be Hana. If only we weren't put into this situation, none of this would have happened.

That's right...

If only Monokuma didn't exist...

He was the true killer, he did all of this. It was none of our fault...!

"Tch…!"

I slammed the wall next to my bed in a fit of rage, and didn't realise I actually made quite a visible dent.

Speak of the Devil…

Bear… I mean.

"HEY! What do you think you're doing?!" Monokuma appeared out of nowhere, as usual.

"…"

"Well, if you aren't gonna talk…" Monokuma sniggered. "How about I punish you for damaging school property?!"

Metal claws grew out from his paws as he pointed them at me. However, I still wasn't in the mood to play around with his games, and was restraining myself from punching him in his face. Calming myself down after a few steady breaths, I decided to stay silent as I couldn't be bothered to play around with his games any further.

"Hmm…? Fine. Looks like you're out of it for today." Monokuma started. "No biggie, I'll help you fix up the dent. But you better stop destroying my precious school!"

"If I catch anyone else disrespecting property then they'll get it from me... but for you Yu, my special guest, I'll gladly repair whatever you ask for."

What the hell is he going on about...?

I didn't think much of it as Monokuma shooed me away from my own room mentioning something about not letting me see a secret weapon. I assumed it was as ridiculous as the metal detector brought out during the trial yesterday, not that I cared all that much.

Still, whenever I thought about the both of them, my heart would ache a little bitterly. And while thinking that, I headed to the cafeteria to join the rest; hoping that this depressing feeling would somehow disappear.

Eventually, I arrived at the iconic Monokuma double doors. As I reached for the handle, Iwao walked up beside me.

"Hey." I gave a light greeting.

He didn't give an answer right away. Maybe even Iwao was shaken up by yesterday's happenings…? Who knows.

"M-morning." He finally responded, scratching his head. He seemed somewhat polite… I've heard of people being more hot-tempered after they wake up but also those who become more docile too. His clothes and face were the same, but there were shadows under his eyes that formed from exhaustion, and he sagged a bit while walking. I felt bad about us going against him but it was in pursuit of the truth.

"About yesterday-" I started to lay out my thoughts.

His eyes shifted to the ground, as if there was something bothering his feet. "Sorry for being an ass yesterday… with the accusations and whatnot."

"I was so sure that Settan was the murderer because he was the only one that had a weapon out of all of us man..." He continued.

That was one of the last things I thought I'd hear Iwao say. Nonetheless... he's a little entitled but at least he's trying now.

"It's okay, I already put it past me." I said kindly.

His eyebrows furrowed and made a V shape. "I wish it was as easy as that."

"No, I guess you're right…" I gave an awkward laugh, as my attempt to lighten the mood crumbled.

It was silent for a moment before we opened the doors in tandem; while doing so, I was curious to see how everyone else was faring on the other side of the door, and if anyone actually came for breakfast after that depressing day.

I heaved a sigh of relief as I saw a few people clustered around the cafeteria, already eating. However, it was obvious that not everyone was present. What was more surprising was how instead of being gloomy, everyone was chattering away as if nothing had happened.

"Heyoooo! How's it going Yu!"

Mako waved over to me from one of the round tables. Sitting with her were Aki, Settan and Yukiko. All of them seemed awfully high in spirits despite what happened the day before...

"You going to eat Yu, or can I have your share?" Mako stared at the plate I just put down on the table.

"M-Mako?" I stammered. "What's going on? Why's everyone so happy?"

"Well, why shouldn't we be?" Mako tilted her head.

"I mean... two people died yesterday, right?"

Aki pointed his fork at me. "That's exactly why we shouldn't be upset and let it get to us."

"Yea, yea!" Settan pumped his fists in the air. "You can trust Aki on this one! Though I don't think giving Yukiko my underwear was the right choice..."

"It was the best decision you'll ever make in your life Settan!" Yukiko grinned, while holding out a pair of underwear which I could only assume was his.

Are you kidding me Aki?

"She was gloomy this morning, so I thought of something that could cheer her up." Aki defended. "Got a problem?"

"If you put it that way..." I started to share my thoughts. "Not really. But she shouldn't be playing with that at the table, right?"

She started hovering the pair of undergarments over her head. Yukiko, please do not. For the love of g-

She actually did it.

"Hee! This sure is fun. I feel like a superhero now!"

"I've decided. Call me Hentai Terrorist!" She pumped her fists in the air.

Aki gave her a thumbs up.

"I should have known this was a bad idea..." Settan grumbled.

I was still a bit taken aback by how they were all so calm, and they seemed to sense my reluctance.

How can they be so carefree after what happened last night?

"Don't be upset, Yu." Aki said. "There's nothing that can be done about it. Instead, find a purpose and use it as your strength to push forward..."

"Use it as your strength?" Mako laughed. "What are you, an anime character?"

I thought lightly about what Aki said. It was a sad fact... but there was no changing that anymore.

"That's one way to put it…" I sighed.

"Even if it takes time, we have to move on. Even if it was a traumatic experience for most of us, it was something that no one had wanted to undergo." Aki continued.

"What are we going to do from now on?" I spoke my mind. "Even after their deaths, nothing has been achieved... we're still stuck here at step one. We haven't found a way out, we haven't learnt anything about the outside world and we don't even know who Monokuma is!"

I still felt frustrated over the fact that nothing has changed even after all that.

"Please put that away while we're eating Yukiko." I snapped. "How can you act like this...?!"

"S-Sorry." She assumed her normal demeanor and took off the 'mask'.

"Relax." Aki patted my shoulder. "All we can do now, is wait. Unless you have anything else in mind...?"

I pondered over this for a while, then decided not to remain gloomy. He was right. There was no point brooding over the past, and instead we should still be working hard to escape this damned place... and the only thing we can do for now is wait.

"Sorry for snapping at you Yukiko..." I trailed off. "I was just upset with everything so I took it out on you...

"It's fine, right Mako!" She shook my hand. "I completely understand how you feel, mmm!"

I felt glad I was able to apologise for my earlier outburst...

"Say, you gonna get breakfast? It's the most important meal of the day you know?" Mako suddenly spoke up.

"Huh?" I said, before realising that most of what was originally on my plate had disappeared into thin air.

"So... you gonna go get some grub or what?" She boldly stated.

Sighing while trying not to smile because of the lightened mood, I got up and headed for the table where the breakfast was arranged in a buffet style – yet again.

"Get me some more scrambled eggs too!"

"And me wholemeal buns!"

"Hai hai..."

As I reached out for the eggs on the silver tray, a pair of tongs grabbed hold of the same piece I was holding, breaking it into half.

"Oh, morning Minako."

"A-Ah! Morning Yu."

She seemed the same as ever. Even if she did become more jittery I wouldn't be able to tell either.

I tried to move the food myself but three plates were a bit too much for me to handle. Luckily, Minako helped me with them and sat down with us back at the table.

I asked the rest whether they knew where everyone else who wasn't in the cafeteria were, as I felt worried about not everyone gathering here first thing in the morning.

Recalling what happened last night, I asked: "Minako, have you seen Keisuke since yesterday?"

"Oh! T-That, he... I don't know." She frowned, while still deep in thought. "I saw Yui, Tamaki, Kin, Shoko and Kunie though!"

"I'm sorry!" Minako cried. "Sorry, I r-really am!"

"I-It's fine! It's fine!" I tried to calm her down. "Right Mako?"

Mako ignored me.

C'mon guys... help me out here!

"Could he still be in his room?" Aki guessed. "I don't think Keisuke would have the appetite needed to consume his meals."

"Hm, you think so?" Settan said. "Then, I think so too!"

Mako nodded while chewing on her food.

"Where else could he be..." Yukiko put a hand on her chin. "Is he in some sort

of sticky situation back in his room?!"

I ignored the undergarment headed person.

"I guess I'll bring him some food. I'll check on how he's doing as well." I said.

I stood up abruptly after finishing my food. I took with me a plate with a variety of breakfast items, hoping that he didn't do anything foolish on his own or starve to death since he didn't have dinner yesterday either. Before I knew it, I found myself outside his room.

"Keisuke, are you there?" I raised my voice while knocking the door.

After a few minutes of knocking, I decided to leave the food outside his room as there was no point insisting he came out if he didn't want to. It would be a far fetch to say I understood his feelings but I could relate to his actions. To him, it might have seemed like everyone was a traitor but we were all trying to find out the truth behind Kyoshi's death. It would be hard for him to face us now… though I believe he knew that it was ultimately the right decision to make. I just hoped that Keisuke didn't…

What am I even thinking?!

After deciding that leaving him alone was the best thing to do for now, I said some last words.

"Food's outside your room, don't starve yourself."

I walked with purposefully loud footsteps such that he'd get the hint that I'm leaving, maybe finally coming out to eat his food. As I turned the corner of the hallway, the thing I least expected to hear the most stopped me in my tracks - Keisuke's voice.

"Yu!"

"K-Keisuke, you startled me…"

"Yea… uh…" He muttered.

"Yea?"

"T-Thank you for the food." He managed.

"Oh, no problem." I said. "I don't mean to sound spiteful but cheer up, alright?"

"…" He stared in the distance.

"Right…" I grimaced.

It wasn't going to be easy for him to get over. He just lost someone he loved, and was 'betrayed' by everyone else in the trial last night…

"T-Time."

"Time?"

"Give me some time before I can face everyone else."

"Take as much as you want." I nodded. "I'll be bringing you lunch and dinner as well if you don't mind."

"Thanks…"

*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*

"Dangamabit?! Which one of you sneaky rodents did it? Own up now! Who was it that destroyed that iron door at the staircase?!"

I looked at Keisuke, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Grr… I'll be waiting for you to own up. Until then, I guess the rest of you fun loving bastards can enjoy your time on the 2nd floor!"

Who would have been able to destroy that iron door…? More importantly... Did I hear that right? Maybe the 2nd floor would hold more clues or an escape route!

"So… looks like the 2nd floor is open, huh? I wonder who broke the door though." Keisuke observed.

"I'll be off then." I clenched my fists in anticipation. "I don't think we can waste anymore time dilly dallying in this hellhole. Another minute spent here is another minute of pleasure for that bear."

"Heh, who are you to assume that I won't be exploring...?" Keisuke smiled sadly. "I'll get over that girl and guy in no time..."

He trailed off while mumbling to himself with fish like eyes...

I felt sorry for him as I understood that he was trying to be strong for their sake. Looks like Keisuke was stronger than Aki thought, and I respected him for that. That is something... I would never be able to do.

"I'll update you when I bring the meals." I waved, deciding not to say anymore.

After bidding farewell to Keisuke, I hurried over to the staircase with the newfound possibility of an escape route which I would learn later today never existed in the first place. The rest should already be combing the 2nd floor, I should do my part as well.

*Bzzt!*

I felt my ElectroID vibrate. Apparently, the map was updated with the layout of the second floor… this could prove to be useful. As I glanced over the various rooms, I followed my hunch on where I should go.

Areas available on 2F

[Library]  
[Arcade]  
[Pantry]  
[Classroom]  
[Freezer Room]  
[Gym]  
I went with the library first.

As if it was an entrance to a museum of some sort... These ornate wooden double doors are twice the size of the cafeteria's… it's insane! At least Monokuma wasn't vain enough to imprint his own image on these doors as well, that would have been another huge waste of resources. Or rather, he couldn't have, seeing how the doors were already covered in some design.

Entering the library, what immediatedly caught my attention was Yukiko – surrounded by a pile of fancy covered books in the corner. I had never expected Monokuma to replicate such a difficult room. The floor was made out of some furry material to soften noises coming from footsteps. There were proper wooden tables and chairs and even chandeliers on the ceiling. Apart from the messy pile of books I assumed Yukiko gathered, the rest of the reading materials in the library seemed properly maintained and arranged neatly. I couldn't help but think this place was far too luxurious for students...

I tried reading a few of the books but they were all in some other language. If I wasn't wrong… They should be in English, and Yukiko might have knowledge of the langauge since she was currently engrossed in one.

"Hey, Yukiko, you know English?" I asked from across the library.

"SHHHH!" She put her a finger on her mouth.

"What?" I gave her a weird look.

"SHHHH!" She repeated.

"This is a library and you're supposed to be whispering…"

I facepalmed. So that's what it was.

"Fine…" I walked over and lowered my volume. "So, do you know English?"

"I… j… po…." She whispered.

"I can't hear you…"

"I said no!" She raised her voice.

She covered her mouth immediatedly afterwards and looked around in a panic, while I laughed at her folly.

"There isn't anyone else here, don't worry." I tried to calm her down. "Besides, this isn't an actual library."

"But... I was told to keep quiet!" She insisted. "We must keep quiet!"

"Oh, and no weird moaning noises too!" Yukiko added.

I don't really get it... but okay.

"Anyway, if you don't know English then how are you reading the book in your hand?" I got back to the main topic at hand.

"Oh, this? I was just looking at the pictures…" She sheepishly admitted, before getting excited. "Of handsome people in previous batches of Hope's Peak!"

"I thought you were reading a political or philosophical book…"

"Those gross me out. Ew. No way. Get out. They stink!" She spoke quickly.

A voice came from behind a shelf. "Can you people keep it down? I'm trying to read here."

"Shoko…?!" I exclaimed.

Where did he come from?!

"Are you a monkey or something? Do you not understand human language? I thought I told you to keep it down!" He repeated.

"I told you there were people here…!" Yukiko gave an exasperated look.

"First moans, then squeals. Now you trying to make this into a marketplace?" Shoko said, annoyed.

"S-Sorry!" Yukiko covered her eyes with the underwear. "Yu told me it was okay since this wasn't an actual library!"

So it's my fault now. Sigh.

"… What are you doing here?" I said.

"What do you mean what am I doing here? Reading of course, and I was here before you!" He frowned. "If all you're gonna do is make noise then I suggest you get out before you see the best of me."

"I'm just here to hopefully find some useful information, but all the books seem to be in English." I put my hands up. "Relax, okay?"

"About that book you're reading... is it in English?" I changed the subject.

"What is it now, does it look like it's in Japanese?"

"A-Ah, I see. So you know how to read English?"

"I know… enough." He looked at the book. "Enough to read this at least. It does have some interesting stories…"

"I never expected you to be the type to read stories." I commented. "So, what kind of story is it?"

"Tch… don't take me for a fool. It isn't a fictional one... though it seems slightly far fetched."

"Apparently it's about something that happened at Hope's Peak… but I have no recollection of it." He shook his head.

Something that happened at Hope's Peak…? Maybe it's somehow related to us?

"You said it was something that happened at Hope's Peak. Maybe that's why no one tried to rescue us yet?" I thought aloud.

"Could it have something to do with our amnesia?" Yukiko suggested.

"That's probably it… so what does it say Shoko?" I probed further. "It might be an important clue."

"You're asking me to read this for you? It's none of my business if you can't read."

"Does it look like I understand what's written here? Besides, I don't think this is the time for fights, we should work together to get out of this situation." I persuaded. "You're not the only one stuck here… so why are you making things so difficult?"

"… Doing what? It's not like I'm planning a murder, it's just that I would prefer to rely on myself."

"No one's gonna plan any murders when Hentai Terrorist is around!" Yukiko brazenly announced.

We both ignored her childish behaviour.

"Rely on yourself...?"

"So that I don't grow affectionate towards anyone… I learnt that the hard way." His eyes shone. "So that when my time comes to kill, I won't hesitate because of relations."

"What…? How could you say something like that?" I said. "Even if you didn't mean it…"

"Pffft. You're the one who wanted to speak to me, so don't get pissed." He shrugged. "I meant what I said, it'd be frustrating to not be able to deal the killing blow."

"… Whatever. I'll read it on your behalf just this once."

Was that so difficult…?

The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic event in all of Hope's Peak Academy's history was actually only the beginning to what would be the world's end.

A group of students known as the Reserve Course students started to rebel after knowing that their money was not being used to cultivate their talents, but for a special project by Hope's Peak. This movement later turned into a worldwide sensation… people banded together and fought for their beliefs… This was because the act of the students gave them the courage to speak up for themselves as well.

Slowly, people from different ethnicities, religions started to fight for their rights as well. This include violence and destruction of property, which slowly led to more terrorist attacks all over the world. People were being killed in masses everyday, news about attacks were becoming more normal to hear, and there were too many

cases of random killings to report.

Strong people killed the weak…

Weak people killed weaker people…

As the violence and death spread, people became desensitized. As if time had gone backwards, people took death to become a certainty. The media reports overflowed with death, and people ate as they watched. By the time the world had noticed the abnormality, it was already too late.

The overpowering "despair" became a huge wave that swallowed up the world in the blink of one's eye...

"And… that's all." Shoko finished.

"That does sound a little far fetched…" Yukiko agreed.

"If such a thing really happened, we wouldn't have forgot about it so easily, right?" I had trouble believing the book. "After all, it's Monokuma's library so who knows what other stuff he made up here?"

"My my! I'm honored that you would assume I'm clever enough to make up stories!"

Not again…

"However, you're wrong this time!" Monokuma said. "The Tragedy did indeed take place… oh, the despaaaaaaaair! Nyahahahaha!"

"Is this another one of your ploys to play around with us? Even for a lie, this is way too fake to believe!" I declared angrily.

"Yup yup! Only reason why you bastards can't remember anything is because I erased all your memories!"

"Upupupupu…"

"Hey, w-wait!"

And just like that, he disappeared again before I could ask him anything else…

"Could it be…? That this book is really true?" Yukiko asked. "There's no way…"

"N-No way… it's probably some storybook Monokuma made up, right?" I said.

"You're right…" She bit her nail.

That's right, it's probably some silly story Monokuma came up with to confuse us even further…

I won't be fooled…!

"Well, you done here? I'm still reading other books so can you please leave?" Shoko said.

"Why are you so insistent on me leaving…?"

"If you're so upset you don't have to stick around, fuck off."

What the hell…? Why did I try to talk to a guy like him?

"Fine!" I stormed out of the room, after saying goodbye to Yukiko while ignoring Shoko.

Shoko… he really was a bit too straightforward. No wonder everyone was starting to dislike him. No matter, what Monokuma talked about earlier couldn't be true is what I tried to think - but the more I wondered the more I believed that it might have actually been the truth, which would explain some of our current circumstances… and with my mind full of questions, I arrived at the gym.

So, this is the gym, huh...?

The room was filled with equipment you would expect a gym to have, and several free weights were scattered over the floor, indicating that someone had just recently used them. There was a wide mirror at the end of the room and I blinked twice as I saw my figure. It's been a long time since I last worked out, but now's not really the time for that. I approached Aki who was sitting on one of the benches, staring into space.

How has he still not noticed me?

"Hello?" I waved my hand in front of his face.

He blinked a few times. "Ah, it's just you Yu. Anything I can help you with?"

"Nothing much... I was just wondering what you were daydreaming about, since you didn't notice me for quite a while." I said.

"I was just thinking about how Kyoshi could've been here if he was still around with us."

"I-I see." The memories of yesterday came flooding back. "He sure would have loved the facilities huh...?"

"It's as if I can imagine him here right now, somehow." Aki laughed.

"I totally get what you mean." I blurted out. "Having fun on the weights and feeling bad about breaking some machines afterwards, totally his behaviour."

There was an awkward moment as we had an epiphany at the same time. Kyoshi was gone... he wasn't coming back and there was no changing that fact. Aki got up and kicked a few weights around as if trying to vent his frustration. I took his position on the bench and just watched. It went on like this for a while before I broke the silence.

I gave a sad smile. "Well... as you said, we should move on and not dwell on the past anymore."

"Don't misunderstand me." He stopped kicking the weights. "It's good to not let their deaths get to you but the memories we had with them shouldn't be forgotten that easily... It'll be disrespectful otherwise, and I wouldn't want that."

"Y-Yea..." I nodded.

"If only it was as easy for me as it was for you…" I added.

"Really? Sometimes I get told off for acting indifferent." He smirked. "Though I guess it does has its benefits at times like this."

We had a moment of comfortable silence before I spoke up.

"About the plans for now, apart from finding an escape route do you have anything else left in mind?"

"Not really. I don't think there's much we can do. Do you believe that someone like Monokuma would leave something as convenient as a way out for us?" He deducted. "Especially since we couldn't even access the 2nd floor back then, do you really think that any one of us actually broke open the iron door by force? And with what? Why wouldn't he know the identity of the culprit with the ridiculous amount of surveillance he has on us?"

"You're right…" I agreed. "I didn't think of that."

It was too convenient to be true. Someone breaking open the iron door? Apart from the irritating bear I couldn't think of anyone else.

"Maybe he wanted us to explore for clues…?" Aki suggested.

"Ah, that's right, when I went to the library earlier…"

I gave a brief summary of the The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic event.

"Hmm…"

"It does seem kind of unlikely… but it's not entirely impossible either." Aki said.

"There's a theory known as the Theory Of Everything, have you heard of it before?"

"Not that I know of… and I don't see how that explains anything." I dumbly replied.

Aki nodded, and began to speak.

"There was an experiment where a cat was placed in a steel box along with a vial of acid and a tiny amount of radioactive substance. If just one atom decayed during the test period, it would trigger a sequence in which a hammer would break the vial and kill the cat."

"So as long as the box remained closed... we wouldn't know whether the cat was alive or dead. So it's said that the cat is in a superposition... where at any one point of time it exists as two different states at once, alive and dead." Aki continued.

"So, do you understand?" Aki asked. "Do you realise the significance of this experiment?"

I didn't budge, and stared right at Aki. It was as if something supernatural was taking place and giving me cold sweat. Calm and collected, Aki looked now as though he was very nearly possessed, and there was something manic about his manner.

I cleared my throat and spoke. "Does this have something to do with the Tragedy?"

"That it's possible for it to both be true and false... until we find out the truth for ourselves?" I guessed.

"Psssyyyych!"

His manner suddenly shifted, and he smiled broadly. He waved his hand dismissively, doing his best to laugh the whole confrontation off.

"I was just kidding, you don't have to take everything I say so seriously!" Aki laughed. "Well, but the experiment is true, it really did happen."

"What a lesson on philosophy…" I let out a deep breath.

"Sorry for wasting your time, I'm sure you have better things to do." He apologised.

"It's okay, I feel smarter after all that." I genuinely said. "But if Monokuma wasn't lying and we really did lose our memories… doesn't that drastically decrease the chances of a rescue and us escaping…?"

"Who knows…?" He decided after a while.

Always trying to make others feel better, well I guess that's just how he is.

"I'll continue exploring the 2nd floor, so I'll see ya later then."

"Tell Kaneko I said hi." He gave a wink, and waved as I firmly shut the door behind me.

That Aki... just what does he think of me and Kaneko?

We're just friends. That's all we are.

I headed over to the arcade next, curious and secretly excited about what kind of games the room had. The map was redundant in this case as I could tell from the loud sounds which room the arcade was…

Skill cranes, joystick machines, shooting games… all of them were making loud noises. It was comforting to recognise at least a few of the games flashing on the screens. I tried to fiddle with a machine before realising they actually needed tokens to work. What was Monokuma even thinking? Did it look like we had money in our possession?

I headed over to the counter where a wide array of Monokuma goodies were displayed for exchange. I guess they were the things you could obtain with tickets earned from the machines. Seeing as no one was manning the counter, I tapped the bell – half expecting him to appear out of nowhere again.

"Did someone call for me?!"

"Fret not, Kounterkuma is here to save the day!" He struck a heroic pose. "So whaddya want kiddo?"

"Kounterkuma…?" I repeated, before ignoring it.

"Did you really erase our memories?" I asked what I wanted to before. "And about the Tragedy-?"

"Huh? Don't go running your mouth off to me, I hate being asked about things outside of my jobscope!" Kounterkuma growled. "Besides, I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"Don't play dumb with me, answer my question!" I barked back.

"If you're not here to get yo tokens, I'm leaving!" He said. "If you want to ask silly questions, then find my boss Monokuma, not me!"

"Now what're you talking about, aren't you Monokuma?"

"For the millionth time, naw." He pointed at his shirt. "See, I'm even wearing a shirt meant for workers!"

Now that he mentioned it... he was indeed wearing an oversized shirt. But still, aren't they're being controlled by the same person? It didn't look like he was going to answer my questions anytime soon though.

"Fine, Kounterkuma, can you get me some tokens?" I decided to play along.

"Alright then, please kill someone!"

"What?" I flinched.

"For 1 kill, you get 500 tokens. 2 kills, you get 1100 tokens!" He sat on the counter. "So on and so forth!"

"W-What the... you're Monokuma, you just want us to kill each other!" I said angrily.

"Nope nope, I'm Kounterkuma!" He insisted.

"You... you're even more confusing than Monokuma." I said to Kounterkuma. "So what's your real identity? What's your purpose?"

"R-Real identity?" He stammered. "Now, that's silly..."

"Sir, Sir! This fellow wants a piece of me!" Kounterkuma exclaimed to no one.

"G-Good bye!"

He ran away...

Monokuma appeared in place of Kounterkuma.

"Ohhh so that's how you swung Yu..." Monokuma started. "If you wanted "a piece" you could have just told me sooner! If I'm good enough for you that is, upupupu..."

"Cut the nonsense..." I sighed. "Can you please answer my questions now?"

"Well my answer to your question is..." He gave a pause. "It's no fun if I tell you everything right? You have to figure the rest out for yourself, nyahahaha!"

"Here are some complimentary tokens, go enjoy yourself you bastard." He pushed a few coins over to me. "Your friends have already started in the back."

"H-How did they get the tokens?"

"Hm...? Why not you find out for yourself?" Monokuma gave a creepy laugh.

As fast as it happened, they both disappeared within the blink of an eye. Running away whenever things got inconvenient... That's even more suspicious. But, that only further strengthens the possibility of the Tragedy being a fact. I took quick steps towards the further back of the arcade, surprised that I didn't notice people here earlier. The loud noises probably played a role in this. I was afraid to learn how they obtained the tokens...

However, before me was a childish scene between Iwao and Settan, with Minako awkwardly observing the two.

"Oh, I scored a goal again, too easy dude." Iwao said loudly, while not looking at Settan directly.

"This is way too boring… I didn't know shooting games were this much of a joke!" Settan did the same.

"Uhm… hi Yu." Minako fidgeted. "They've been going at it since an hour ago…"

An hour?! Are they retarded…?

"The tokens! How did you get them?" I asked.

Minako gave me blank look. "Monokuma gave complimentary ones to us, why?"

We have more important things to do…

"I-I see… It's nothing." I steadied my breathing, as the mood took a turn for the better...

"Then what're you doing here?"

"They dragged me along as a judge but so far I haven't been able to decide the winner..."

"Have you thought of having them play the same game?"

"O-Oh!" Minako commented. "You're really smart, Yu!"

"..."

I explained to the two what I had in mind. I was going to have them play the skill crane.

"Now you can see who's truly the superior one." Iwao boasted.

"Huuuh? I don't remember losing to you in any way, you two faced dick." Settan gave him an apathetic look.

"So that's what all this is about…" I understood, as I recalled how Iwao accused Settan without hesitation despite them having been friends.

"Hmph." The both of them said in unison.

"R-Right! No fighting okay!" Minako waved her hands frantically in the air.

It took less than a minute before the outcome was decided.

"I don't remember her being a part of the duel…" Iwao sighed.

"Stop being a sore loser you stuck up…" Settan commented.

"Well, she was the only one who caught something so it isn't wrong to say she's the winner…" I gave my honest opinion.

"D-Did I do something wrong again?!"

"Back in school people either hated me or thought I was weird…"

Those are some sad choices…

"It's not your fault, these two just have to get their problems sorted out." I looked over at the two who were still glaring daggers at one another, then back at Minako. "So, what kind of plushie is that?"

"Oh! Have you never seen these before?!" Minako suddenly spoke up.

"These are the latest ones on the market… I've always wanted to get one but I didn't have time to…"

"So, what's so special about them? They look like normal stuffed toys to me…"

"O-Oh! Their redeeming feature is how they can record voices and play it back!" Minako demonstrated it. "As you can see, just press the button on the back of its neck to record, and press it again to play the voice! The next time you want to record you'd have to press the button twice in succession…"

Why is she telling me all this…?

"Right… I kind of get it now." I cut her off before she could continue.

"S-Sorry, did I get overly excited again…?" Minako covered her mouth.

I shook my head, and looked over at the two who were still spouting insults at one another. It looked like this was going to take a while so I left Minako to make sure they didn't do anything silly. Even though they were quarreling, at least they were talking. I had thought that Settan would completely ignore Iwao, but I was wrong. Giving them the tokens that I received, I headed over to the next room.

The laundry room was given a generous amount of space, at least when compared to those coin laundry places. It followed the general concept of stacking washing machines beside one another, except that these didn't require any coins to operate. There was also a washing area with a few hoses, pails and detergent and the like arranged nicely on a shelf above the machines.

"W-What is this sorcery…?"

"It cannot be… a technique which I have never seen before. Black magic?! To think that I would find the secrets to the art of manipulating water in such an area…!"

Is he talking about the washing machines?

"Uh Kin, those are washing machines. Have you never seen one before?"

"Y-Yu! What are you doing here!" He said, as he used his body to cover one of the machines which was currently operating. "There's nothing of importance here, so please move along."

At this point, I was sure he didn't see one before. "You do know those are just operating on electricity right…? They wash clothes."

"O-Of course I have!" He patted the machine. "I am currently engaging in the execution process of whirpool creation."

"Wait a second…" I peered into the machine. "Just as I thought… these aren't your clothes!"

Spinning around the machine were a pair of polka dot panties, and some female clothing.

"They are mine!" He declared. "I engage in unique fashion to harness energy from different sets of clothing. A lowly commoner like you wouldn't understand."

"Only a kid would believe you!" I sighed. "So, when are you going to wash your actual clothes? Do you have a change of wear?"

"If you are referring to my clothes I only have these."

"Did you not bring any extra?" I slowly backed away from him.

"I buy new ones every few days."

"What? Does that mean you haven't changed for 4 days?!" I exclaimed.

"I'll lend you some clothes later so please wash them soon, for the sake of everyone." I demanded. "Now that I think about it... is that smell coming from you?!"

I took another step back from the unhygienic being in front of me while pinching my nose.

"I'll teach you how to use one so just..."

"The secrets of the dark arts?!" Kin raised his eyebrows. "I-I will wash my clothes soon, so just pass onto me the basics of water manipu-"

"I mean… washing machines." He cut himself off.

He looked distraught, so I didn't want to argue any further...

He didn't seem to want to leave yet, so I left him and went to the classroom next. By the time I arrived, I was a little flabbergasted. Mantled on the door leading to the classroom was a piece of paper with the words "Monokuma's Classroom" scribbled over it. I expected a normal classroom, but not this at all. I walked in and scanned the surroundings, and noticed Kunie and Yui at a corner of the room. Inside the room was a board with childish handwriting reading "Welcome!". There was also a drawing of Monokuma and flowers... I assume. I really couldn't tell since the depiction was actually that bad. The walls of the room were painted a bright yellow. Taking a closer look though... it seemed like someone vandalised the original paintwork with a crayon.

"Sup Yui, aren't you normally with Tamaki?" I pointed out. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I lost her while we rushed up to the 2nd floor…" She blushed. "Not like I need her or anything though...!"

"Truth is, she was scared to venture around on her own without Tamaki so she's been with me ever since."

"Kunie? I thought you were asleep."

"Nah, great sleepers instinctively know when they need to wake up." Kunie yawned. "I used to do that all the time in class!"

"And you didn't get caught?" I asked, surprised.

"That's because teachers are biased people! They always praise goody two shoes for their work!" Yui interrupted.

"Whenever I slept in class, they would hit me with a ruler or throw things at me!" Yui continued.

That sounds painful...

"Pfftt! I was so much luckier, that's why they call me the Ultimate Sleeper!" Kunie snickered. "I used to have dreams of erasers and stuff hitting me but I never got caught once."

"See! No fair!" Yui pouted.

"Are you sure you actually didn't get hit by those?"

"No way. Whenever I wake up I'd find a huge stack of erasers near my table though." Her eyelids drooped. "I think I was so well behaved they gave me presents..."

Why do I feel like most of the Ultimates are dense people…?

"Anyway, if I find Tamaki, I'll be sure to let her know where you are so just stay here in the meantime."

"W-Who needs her…!" She pouted.

"Or would you rather follow me?"

"T-That's..."

"It's okay, I won't hurt you." 

"N-No! Yu, you baka! Dunce! Otaku!" Yui shouted.

I wonder who's the otaku...

"Huuuuh? Isn't it a lot more fun to be chatting with friends instead of wasting time here Yui-chan?" Kunie said.

Yui took a deep breath before screaming once again. "It's not fun at all!"

"Okay okay, I get it!"

She didn't have to raise her voice...

Saying goodbye to the two while promising to let Tamaki know where Yui was, I could have sworn I saw the picture winking at me. Damned bear...

I headed over to the pantry, and as I opened the door, I caught Kaneko red handed - stuffing her face full of sweets. For a moment, we both stared at each other and her eyes widened as she realised I was there.

"What on earth were you doing?" I threw her a suspicious look.

"What are you talking about?"

How can she talk with all that food in her mouth…?

"... Weren't you just stuffing your mouth full of-"

"More importantly, weren't you supposed to be looking for a way out? Can't you even do something so simple? I thought I emphasized the need to..."

Crap, her eyes tell me if I say anything else I'll be dead.

I let her finish chewing as I looked off to the side, occasionally glancing to check her progress while checking the layout of the room. Several beanbags cluttered the floor and there was a television attached to the wall. A remote control was on the counter next to a shelf full of snacks and sachet drinks... Is that where she got all the sweets...? On the same counter was also a coffee machine and several cups, along with a sink.

"Ahem…" Kaneko broke the silence. "So… what was it that you were here for?" She finally finished her sweets.

"I just wanted to explore the pantry."

"I-I see. What about the other places?"

"The only place I haven't been to is the freezer room but I'm heading there after this."

"Then why didn't you head there first?" She questioned. "I'm pretty sure the pantry has nothing of importance as compared to the freezer room."

"It wouldn't hurt to check things out… or did you not want me to see something?" I held up an empty packet of sweets.

"W-What are you saying?!"

"…"

"Not a word of this to anyone…"

"Or I'll see to it that you get taken care of."

Taken care of...? I wouldn't want to find out what that is...

"R-Right. I understand. So, I'm sure you finished your 'investigation' here?"

"Of course. From what I have investigated it's just a normal pantry. I've been to a couple of the other rooms and their windows are all barricaded with metal grailles." Kaneko started. "It doesn't look like we can escape anytime soon. So our best bet would be to hope for someone to help us."

"About that…"

I explained what I learnt earlier to Kaneko.

"Monokuma… just who is he?" She put her hand on her chin after I was done. "To orchestrate something of this calibre… he has to be one of the Ultimates, that much I'm sure."

"Wait, does this mean that… one of us might be the one behind all this?!"

"I'm not certain… but I can say for sure he or she isn't an average person. I've had my suspicions since the beginning but I didn't want anyone to be alarmed so I didn't raise it up."

"I can trust you with this much, right?" She smiled creepily. "Don't tell anyone else about this. I wouldn't want people to start distrusting one another again."

"Y-Yea. I won't tell anyone." I scratched my head.

"I'm sure. Otherwise I'd have to "take care" of you..." She cracked her knuckles.

One of us could be the mastermind…? That seems way too farfetched, and cliche to be true. For now though, it feels like I should keep this in mind.

"We'll talk another time." Kaneko left the pantry quickly. "I need to confirm something else that's been bothering me…"

"H-Hey wait!" I tried to stop her, but she was already gone by then.

Why is she always in a hurry?

Well, I guess that's one of the habits for a sleuth like herself. I'd better remind her to clean up her mess next time, because she sure left a lot of wrappers on the table.

How can she eat all this without getting diabetes?!

I shook my head while tidying up the area, then headed to the freezer room next.

As I exited, someone collided into me headfirst, leaving the both of us sprawled on the floor.

"O-Ouch, Tamaki?" I rubbed my forehead.

"I'm in a hurry… sorry." She stood back up on her feet and shook her head. "Yui has gone missing!"

"W-Wait! Don't run off yet! Yui's in the classroom!"

I just hoped she heard me as she disappeared from my sights.

As I walked into the room, a blast of cold air washed over me. Almost instinctively, I folded my arms tight across my chest, doing what I could to conserve body heat. This place is far too cold for someone as dressed as me.

"Oh, I'm going to give you a good beating, a good slicing... and a good eating, !"

"Oh… it's just you Mako." I said as I closed the door behind me. "It sure is cold here though. What is this place?"

"Are you blind? It's a freezer." Mako continued fiddling with the meat pieces.

"I was just have trouble thinking of what to cook for dinner, so you came just in time!" 

"What do you want to eat tonight?" Her eyes glistened.

"Ehh? I'm okay with anything, besides are you sure you want to continue bothering yourself with the cooking?"

"Since Monokuma has been preparing our meals… I don't see why you have to take the trouble to do so…" I told the truth.

"Don't worry on that, I find cooking fun and I do it for myself… at least, for the most part." She said.

"I'm an indecisive person so you're better off asking someone else." I honestly told her. "And how are you not s-shivering?! About one minute in here and I'm just about done!"

"Hm? It's not that c-cold." She said, with white puffs of steam hovering in front of her face as she talked.

"What do you mean...? Your face is bright red, and there's steam coming out from your mouth!" I observed. "W-We should leave..."

"I still haven't decided on what's for tonight's menu, besides if you're that cold you can adjust the temperature slightly I think." Mako insisted. "Now where's the remote control..."

So I have to stay here in this room until she decides?! How can her body take this temperature? Is she even human?

"Remote control...? Isn't this temperature panel what you're looking for?" I pointed to the panel beside the door. "But it doesn't seem like it's adjustable."

"Let me try." She tried pressing the buttons but nothing changed. "I guess this is the set temperature to make sure the meat doesn't go bad."

"I guess so."

"...!" Mako suddenly trailed off and stared at the door.

"Err... yes?" I rubbed my hands together to keep them warm.

Mako rushed to grab hold of the doorknob-

It was then that I quickly deduced that the condensation on the handle had frozen instantly after I closed the door behind me when I entered.

"S-Shit..." I managed, as we realised that we were trapped.

"I-I can't turn it." Mako gestured for me to try.

I tried turning the handle but it didn't budge, and touching it was beyond painful because of the cold.

"Hey, anyone out there?" I shouted while banging the door.

No reply. I tried turning the doorknob again but to no avail, it felt like my fingers were going to fall off from the strength I was exerting onto the handle. I noticed Mako hugging herself and shivering violently. If we don't get out of here soon...!

"M-Mako...? Are you okay?" I asked out of concern.

"Y-Yes..." She closed her eyes. "I feel... so sleepy..."

"H-Hey. T-This isn't funny!" I shouted. "Don't sleep damnit! Hello, anyone there?!"

I continued shouting but no one heard me. A few minutes past before I slowly lost strength as well. With every breath I took, I could feel the cold working its way deeper into my body. I sat down next to Mako who was trying hard to keep her eyes open. All of a sudden, she hugged me.

"Mako...? What a-are you doing?"

"Body heat... don't think about doing anything s-strange, okay?"

I didn't reply as I didn't have the strength to complain about her hugging me – the heat was something I needed too. I grew more tired and restless over time and was slowly losing hope.

Is this the end...?

...

...

...

...

...

Just then, the door opened, and a wave of warm air accompanied it.

"Mako? Yu? What are you two doing?" Tamaki asked.

"W-We were stuck inside." I managed, as I poked Mako who had fallen asleep.

"You two weren't doing anything weird, right?" She asked again.

I ignored her as I tried to wake Mako up.

"H-Hey. Mako. Wake up." I poked her.

"Mako? Mako!" I shook her, realising that she might have fainted. After all, she was in here longer than me by god knows how long.

"We'll talk later, she needs to get medical attention!" I looked at Tamaki in the eyes.

"I-If you say so." She shrugged as she helped me carry her out. "I can always find Yui later..."

We lay her flat on the ground, before I ran and called out for Minako. 


End file.
